Lost and Wandering
by BlackInkJinx
Summary: When Hattie O'Connor wakes up in a forest with few memories and a talking dog, she has several questions. When she learns she has Elvish writing stuck on her back, she has more. But she knows something odd is definitely going on when she sees a man with pointed ears and a bow spying on her while bathing. And when the Elvish Prince refuses to leave her side, things only get worse.
1. Who Am I Again?

**Chapter 1; Who am I Again?:**

Hello LOTR fandom.

 ** _Full Summary:_** When Hattie O'Connor woke up in a forest with few memories and a talking dog, she had several questions. When she saw the Elvish writing stuck on her back, she had a few more. But she knew something odd was definitely going on when she sees a man with pointed ears and a bow spying on her while bathing. And when that Elvish Prince refuses to leave her side, things only get worse. Gummy bears, elf whistles, unsuccessful boating tours, descending madness and Middle Earth aphrodisiacs ensue as Hattie gets lost and wanders in a world stranger than she could have ever imagined…

 ** _Warning:_** Swearing, violence, dark themes, sexual themes, and even more violence and shameless culture references. The OC will change the plot meaningfully enough to accommodate a tenth walker who commits their own heroics and sins, she will not steal lines, and while she won't sit on the side lines of a fight she is not invincible. I will be keeping close to the extended movies, but I've read the books and have them close at hand, so some of the book's bits and pieces might be tossed in as well. And though I'm not a perfect Tolkien expert but I strive to please. If you come across errors or blunders or grammatical eyesores, please give constructive criticism so I may correct my mistakes and go hide in my corner of shame.

 ** _Side note:_** If you love these tenth walker, hot elven infatuations with future references, then you're among friends, I'm a fan of them too. If you're sick of these kinds of stories, I completely understand. But I am not going to be apologetic or bash myself for writing a tenth walker story. I love these kinds of stories, and I always wanted to write one! So, this is my shot at it. Like everyone else who writes these things I'm going to try to make it as interesting as possible and accommodate the story to have that whole Earth girl lost in Legolas-land be a bit more substantial.

So please, without further delay, enjoy!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

 _All that is gold does not glitter,_

 _Not all those who wander are lost;_

 _The old that is strong does not wither,_

 _Deep roots are not reached by the frost._

The first thing Hattie thought when she woke up was how in the world she knew her name was _Hattie_. It was a silly and old fashioned name, and if she had to choose a name for herself it would be something classier like Heather or Elizabeth. But no, she knew her name was Hattie. She guessed that was okay. It meant 'Ruler of the Home'. She could have a much worse name, like Buffy or Linda, so she should be satisfied in being a Hattie.

The second thing Hattie thought was why she was hearing birds singing. They were everywhere, chirping and tweeting and caroling with notes ranging from shrill to sweet. She was definitely outdoors somewhere as she could also hear the fast flow of a river. As her other senses returned to her she realized she was lying on the cold ground. Her fingers clenched, trying to find purchase to hold on to, but they only managed to grab a handful of wet leaves. She could smell the sweet rot of them all around her, the signature scent of autumn.

The third thing Hattie thought was that it was time she opened her eyes. But she was afraid to. What would she see? Images flashed before her, unpleasant ones. She was walking. Then falling. Then pain and blood and cries for help so desperate her voice went raw. And then…nothing…

Hattie decided to open her eyes anyway.

First there was a clear sky, and then there was a forest. A woodland full of trees dressed for the season in oranges, yellows, and bold reds. A wind coaxed their leaves to fall, spinning down to landing all around Hattie. A small piles was already on top of her, and she had to wonder how long she had been like this. Did she fall asleep? Had she passed out? She didn't know. The sun looked to be setting itself as the shadows seemed to be growing longer around her. She was in a small clearing, the forest floor a little way from her thick with ferns and lichen.

Hattie slowly, painfully, sat up.

 _Ow..._

She tenderly touched the back of her head. She was wearing a knitted hat with one of those little fuzzy pompoms at the end. There was something wet on it. She brought her fingers to her face, seeing them covered in something thick and red.

 _Blood._

Immediately Hattie shot up. She looked at the ground she had been lying on, blood covering the dirt and leaves that had been beneath her.

"Oh…that's not good." She whimpered, feeling sick.

Hattie struggled to get her backpack off. She did not know she had been wearing one until she did. No time for that now. She unbuckled and opened the flap. It was a rather old fashioned backpack, the kind made out of green canvas. It had a lot of pockets and looked stuffed with all kinds of curious things. Hattie didn't care though, as she immediately started to toss out everything in there. She wasn't sure what she was looking for until she found it.

A first aid kit.

She opened it, seeing gauze and antiseptic wipes stuffed inside. She grabbed one and ripped it open. She then gently removed her hat, careful of the blood that had stuck it to her hair. Slowly it came off and she threw it away from her. Her hands went to feel the back of her head tenderly, prepared for the worst.

And…nothing.

There was blood, _a lot_ , and it was still fresh. But Hattie felt everywhere and did not come across any gash or cut. Hell, not even a bruise. Her head hurt, that much was certain. Now that her panic was starting to subside she realized it was only a headache. Then, why was there so much blood? If she wasn't hurt then where had it come from? She looked around for signs of a struggle or something by way of explanation but there was only the forest. She couldn't even see a path.

 _How…how did I get here? What happened?_

Her mind felt like a blank slate. Like she had walked into a room and forgotten what she had gone in there for. Except, the thing she forgot was… _everything_.

Hattie risked standing up. Her head hurt and the rest of her felt stiff, but fortunately that was it. The blood must not be hers, though she suspected it was not so simple. Still, she was fine, and that was something to be grateful for.

Looking around her, Hattie searched for a clue. Quickly she spotted two. Another pack and an unfolded map lying near to where she had been. She went for the map first. It was damp as if it had been lying there for some time, but she was happy to see it was still legible.

It was a map of Chainley Burn in Hexham. Hattie was confused by the names, none of them sounding familiar. The map showed her a valley with a river running through some forest called the Westwood. She flipped the map over to find the cover and noticed the telltale initials UK. So…she was in England?

"Funny," She muttered to herself, "I don't feel British."

Hattie decided to leave the map alone as she went over to the other pack. It was newer than what she had on her back and had a single strap to wear over the shoulder. Opening it she saw a tightly rolled wool blanket. Okay? So she was on a picnic or something? Further investigation only confused the matter. There was a foldable gardening spade, a tape measurer, a spool of twine, dental picks, small paint brushes, a reference book of some sort, and an I.D. badge.

Picking up the badge she saw a name, hers she assumed.

 _Hattie O'Connor – Roman Vindolanda Volunteer Excavator, Class: Student_

Excavator? Like digging? That explained the tools. The book too. It was a volunteer handbook, and as she flipped through it, it showed volunteer rules, schedules, daily tasks, and fun things to do on her free time. Is this what she had been up to? Was she studying to be an archaeologist? The I.D. suggested she was. She went to the first page of the book and read the introduction:

See history come to life as an army of archaeologists and student volunteers painstakingly and carefully unearth not only hidden treasures, but fascinating stories of life in Roman Britain too, that come alive through these valuable findings. Vindolanda is thought to be one of Europe's most exciting archaeological excavations, and visitors to the site will be able to see how this important work is done, and perhaps witness a momentous discovery. You'll never know what you might find!

 _I can't put my finger on it, but that last line seems a little ominous. A little too ominous…_

Guessing this pack had no more clues for her, Hattie went back to the one that had been on her back. It was still near that suspiciously large puddle of blood, and she avoided looking at it as much as possible as she dug into it. There were a lot of things, but she felt herself searching one pocket in particular. She brightened to feel a leather square.

A passport and a wallet!

Opening them both, a few of Hattie's suspicions were confirmed.

"American. I knew it. I'm just a tourist. Age…twenty. No, twenty-one? Wait, what year is this?"

That Hattie had to seriously ponder this was concerning enough. Also, her middle name just so happened to be _Maude_. Wow, she must have parents who hate her. Just who were her parents anyway? She tried to think of faces and names, but nothing came to mind. She needed to figure out where she was and how she got here. Better, how to get out and get herself to a hospital. It was obvious she had suffered some kind of concussion, which would explain the blood and her sudden lack of memories. Course, why she did not have a gash on her head or see any signs of a path near her was strange. Almost as if she had appeared at this spot out of thin air...

 _Great. Now the X-Files theme is stuck in my head._

The wallet had a driver's license that confirmed the information in the passport, as well as a few pound notes, plastic cards, a student's visa for the UK, and a room key. Not really much to rebuild herself on.

Desperate for answers, Hattie began to lay out the rest of the backpack's contents on the ground. It offered her a few more pieces to the puzzle that was her. She handled and examined them like they were precious artifacts.

One field notebook – This seemed to be very important. It was made of leather and looked a little water stained. It held all kinds of penned notes, observations, and sketches she suspected had to do with Vindolanda. There were a lot of random facts of medieval life, artifacts, thoughts, reflections, and a few pages on Romanesque architecture. There were a lot of pages left empty though, as if she had bought it recently. She would read it later when she had time.

One plush case filled with pencils and pens – Useful.

One flashlight – Again, useful.

One expensive looking camera – _Useless_. It was broken! The lens was coming off of it and the screen was cracked. She experimented with turning it on, pushing this and that, but it was no use. Maybe she had dropped it? Or maybe she had fallen and landed on her back, smashing it.

Tooth brush and tooth paste in a baggie – Good.

Hair brush with hair ties wrapped around its handle – Also good.

A red bandana – She wrapped it around her head and put the rest of her long hair into a ponytail to keep the bloodied strands off of her neck. It was starting to weird her out.

First aid kit – But she already knew that. Still, it was good to have.

A _ton_ of granola and protein bars – FOOD! Hattie opened one and relished it, not realizing how hungry she had been.

Two chocolate bars – Yum.

A bag of dog treats – Huh?

Water bottle – Half empty. That was worrisome. She took a few sips, but decided to conserve what she could.

Dog whistle – Okay, did she have a dog? She hadn't seen one yet, so maybe it had wondered off? She gave the whistle an experimental blow, and sure enough no sound she could detect came out of it. A few black crows took to the air not far from her clearing, and Hattie wondered if it had been such a good idea that she blew it. Who knew what was in these woods.

 _But then England doesn't have wolves or bears anymore…right?_

A large bag of gummy bears – Okay, this is a lot of snacks. Did she have a sweet tooth?

A change of clothes in a space saver bag, tightly sealed – It had extras of what she was currently wearing. A pair of fleece lined leggings, wool socks, a plaid shirt, and panties. She was also wearing a green military jacket over a grey jumper, and what she supposed was the only bra she had bothered to pack. She also had pretty sturdy pair of hiking boots on. At least she didn't need to worry about lacking arch support. The only jewelry she wore was a little silver locket that looked quite old. It had no picture inside it which made her sad for some reason. Moving on.

Ipod with earbuds wrapped around it– Fully charged. She flicked through the last album she had playing.

 _My Bloody Valentine. Am I an indie music fan? Oh, god, I hope I'm not a hipster._

Swiss army knife – Useful. It had everything!

Tampons in an inner pocket – Good. Never knew when those might be needed.

Black eyeliner- Eh.

Mascara – Hm.

Body wash soap, Travel size – Good.

Inhaler with prescription filled out to her - Was she asthmatic? She took a puff of it just in case but she didn't feel any different after.

Two-in-One Shampoo and Conditioner, Travel size – Alright.

Washcloth – This is not really helping her anymore.

Face powder, color: Ivory – Okay, she should really be packing all this back up.

Compact mirror – Okay. She could use it to signal for help. But…Hattie suddenly realized she didn't know what she looked like. Sure, the passport and license had a picture of her. But everyone knew not to rely on those unflattering photos and she wasn't really certain if that _was_ her any more.

Opening the compact, Hattie glanced herself over. This was stupid. What kind of person forgot what they looked like? The moment she saw herself though she noticed something…odd. Sure, she had two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, but something felt off. In the license she had her ears and nose pierced. But looking at herself now she couldn't see any piercing marks. Like it had never happened at all. The rest looked about right though. Her hair and eyes were the same shade of chocolate brown and she had a spatter of freckles all over her face. Her teeth were white and straight and she had bangs that hid all of her forehead and eyebrows.

 _Hey. I'm pretty cute. And I guess I have a healthy self-esteem too._

One paperback titled _'The Duke's Seduction'_ – Oh, god. What was this doing in her bag? Was she a hopeless romantic? It even had some woman in a loosened dress pressing herself to a faceless pair of chiseled abs. She didn't want to put it back in her bag. But then…if she left it here, it would be littering and littering was wrong. Looks like she had no choice but to keep it…

One well-worn hardback titled _'The_ _Silmarillion'_ – It was old. Very old. As if it had been read a thousand times and a thousand times again. She leafed through it, and discovered its words felt familiar to her. Like an old song. Odd she could remember its story too, of elves and strange lands and their history, but not what her own parents looked like. Obviously this was a book she loved dearly. She would not even think of leaving it behind.

With that, she had emptied out the backpack. It had given her a few clues, but nothing really all that solid. Hattie began to pack everything back into her bags. She struggled to find a way to make everything fit. Eventually she just gave up and stuffed the pockets of her jacket as much as she could. It was then she discovered what she should have been looking for in the first place.

 _A cellphone!_

"Yes! Rescue!"

She immediately punched in the numbers 911…only to realize how stupid that was.

"Right. I'm in England. Idiot."

She tried again with 999…and nothing.

"Damn it!" She groaned, "What is going on here?"

Glancing at the screen she noticed she had no service at all. Well, so much for that. Still, a phone was a phone. She would walk for a little while and try to pick up a signal to call for help. She briefly looked through her contacts and saw how little there was. One for a grandmother she seemed to be close to given the amount of times they texted and called, though the messages had stopped between them a year ago. Was there a falling out between them? Hattie didn't think so. There was another person she texted a few times and they were rather formal, and it took her a while to figure out it was her father since he was listed only as 'Harry'. So she had been named after him but wasn't as close to him as she was with the grandmother.

She didn't want to waste the power, but Hattie couldn't resist looking through the pictures on her cell as well. There were a few of what she assumed was the Vindolanda site, and some people bent over digging and smiling at the camera as she took them. Going further back she found a lot of her and who she assumed was her grandmother. She was a cheerful looking woman, and with her was a man Hattie guessed was her grandfather. She had a lot of pictures with them both in different settings; at a nice home, at multiple campsites, at her high school graduation, and so on. She looked at each one and couldn't feel any familiarity with them. Like she was looking at someone else's vacation photos. Sure, they were pretty, but you really have had to have been there.

An ache of loneliness came over her, desperate to find one clear memory to cling to.

There were no other regularly featured people in the pictures though. No one who looked like they were her father or mother or boyfriend or girlfriend or any friend for that matter. However, there was another in the pictures with her grandparents. A rather large, strange looking–

A rustle of underbrush alerted Hattie that she was not alone.

 _Uh-oh._

She looked up from her phone and saw a _wolf-like thing_ running out from the tangle of brushwood. Its shag was grey and brown with a white underbelly. And it was _huge_. And it was lumbering towards _her_.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Hattie shouted as she finally began to react. The only thing she could think of was to run away. It did her little good, for in no time flat she felt the breath of the animal on her. Split seconds later it pounced on her, forcing her to the ground. Hattie struggled, screaming and trying to knock the heavy creature off of her. Any moment she expected the thing to sink its teeth into the back of her neck, ending her in one swift bite. Instead she felt it…licking?

Hattie stilled herself. The thing was whining excitedly, licking and nuzzling her back. Slowly she rolled out from under it and sat up. The beast instantly went for her face, continuing in its affection. It dawned on Hattie that this thing came in answer of the dog whistle she blew.

"Uh…good boy?" She laughed nervously, an uncertain hand reaching out to touch it. The dog instantly bent its head to her, allowing her to scratch its ear. The creature whined happily and a panting tongue lolled out of the side of its wide mouth. Relaxing, Hattie realized he was harmless. At least, for now.

"Are you my dog?" Hattie asked, and in answer the dog came forward again and nuzzled against her.

"Good boy. Good boy, I love you too." She found herself saying. Did she love this creature? The sting of thankful tears in her eyes suggested she did. The ache of loneliness and uncertainty lessened in her then. This was the dog in the pictures with her grandparents. This was _her_ dog. Reaching for his collar she saw a tag with her name on it and what she assumed was her phone number.

"Wolf." Hattie read, and the dog grew only more excited at its name being called, "It suits you."

It really did. He had amber colored eyes, wild and knowing, and triangle-shaped ears like a wolf. His face though reminded her more of a German Shepard, long and narrow and friendly. However, Hattie had to dock herself points for her lack of imagination in naming him.

Still, it was nice not to be alone anymore. She was starting to piece together what she guessed happened to her. She had been hiking along the Chainley Burn valley with her dog when she slipped and hit her head, causing her to bleed out and lose consciousness. The cut was not as bad as it looked though if she could not feeling anything, though her obvious concussion was very concerning. It would be best if she found help as soon as possible and checked herself into a hospital to have it looked at. People did not suffer amnesia unless it was serious. Then afterwards the volunteer group she was working for would hopefully take over from there and get her back home to the USA.

"Well then, come on Wolf." She announced as she picked up her packs and the map, "Let's go find civilization."

Unfolding the map again, she studied it once more. It gave her no clues to where she was in particular, but if she found the river then maybe she would stand a chance. Pausing to listen, Hattie's ears picked up on the flow of water she had heard before. She couldn't see it from where she was, so she boldly left the clearing and dove into the underbrush. Wolf followed after her, keeping close as if afraid to lose her.

A few minutes of struggling through the undergrowth resulted in Hattie finding a vast river. Strange, on the map it looked more like a creek. No matter. All she had to do was follow along its bank and she'd make it out of the Westwood. Question was, which way should she follow it? The map didn't give her any clues.

"What do you say boy? Up river or down river?" Hattie asked her companion, happy to be talking to someone other than herself.

 _'Down._ _'_

Hattie blinked, but the dog continued to stare at her intently. Looking left, and then looking right, she could have sworn she heard someone speak to her. But no, there was only her and Wolf.

"Huh?" She puzzled, looking to him for answers. The dog tilted its head to one side.

 _'_ _Follow the river downstream.'_

"…"

"Oh boy. I must have hit my head harder than I thought." Hattie laughed nervously. She folded the map and placed it in her pocket. She would follow the river downstream. If some little voice in her head thought it was right, then who was she to argue? Still, hearing voices and not being able to remember what year it was only made her worry more about her head injury. She did not have long before dark though, as the sun was setting fast. Still, Hattie felt rather hopeful.

"Come on." She grinned as she started, "An hour, two tops, and we'll be enjoying hot showers and those delicious hospital pudding cups."

 **~:o:0:o:~**

I know, not a very exciting chapter, was it? But I promise the next shall be as Legolas will be entering the story. Besides, I like a story with slow build, and I hope you do as well. Anyway, I would deeply appreciate any reviews, favs, and follows! See you next times dearies!


	2. We're Not in Kansas Anymore

**Chapter 2; We're Not in Kansas Anymore:**

 ** _Side note:_** Where Hattie is for this chapter is following the Bruinen (aka Loudwater) River down through the small patch of Trollshaws forest which is right next to Rivendell. In these woods there are a lot of ruins, remnants of lost civilization probably belonging to the Rhudaur. It's a forest full of nasties, including its namesake – Trolls. And I know I promised Legolas in this chapter, but I wanted you guys to get to know Hattie a little bit more before she gets caught up in the Fellowship.

 **~:o:0:o:~**

 ** _Day One_**

Hattie, with her faithful companion Wolf, thought that she'd be safe and warm in a matter of hours. How wrong she was.

When she had started out following the river, she thought it'd only take her one or two hours to get out of the forest. On the map it was small, no more than an leisurely stroll. But this forest seemed endless, and when the sun set her first night she wondered if she was anywhere on that map at all. She didn't want to spend a night in the woods, but she really didn't want to walk around in it either. Hattie was not about to underestimate the utter blackness of nighttime in the woods. Even with her flashlight, most things were left in shadow and she would jump at every little sound. Hattie and Wolf bedded down by a large oak, both of them miserable because Hattie couldn't get a fire started. She tried that rubbing two sticks together thing, but that only made her arms tired.

 _Guess I was never a Girl Scout. Pity. Those green vests are cute._

During the night, she shivered under her wool blanket. It was covered in dirt so she had to assume she didn't use it for sleeping before. Probably she used to cover the ground wherever she had been digging at in Vindolanda. Funny how little things like that came to her. And since she couldn't sleep she tried thinking about who she was. She started simple.

Favorite color? - _Green. Definitely green. Or blue. Grey? I don't know, but I guess I'm a Winter._

Favorite movie? – _Duh. Indian Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark._

Favorite book? – _Pretty sure anything by Tolkien. And J.K. Rowling. Yup. Bet I'm a Hufflepuff. I feel like a Hufflepuff kind of person._

Favorite theme park ride? – _A carousal. Anything else gives me motion sickness. Besides, those ponies are always so pretty._

Favorite food? – _Burgers. Definitely burgers. And steak fajitas. Pizza. Fried chicken. French fries. Baked potato with the works. Sprinkle covered donuts. Double fudge chocolate ice cream. Spaghetti with oodles of sauce. Hot dogs slathered with onions…oh god, I'm just listing food because I'm hungry. I need to stop._

With that, Hattie forced herself to close her eyes, listening to the soft breaths of her dog as the night went on.

 ** _Day Two_**

Hattie was miserable in the morning. She was cold and sore from sleeping on the ground. She had spent most of the night shivering and shifting this way and that trying to get comfortable, but something on the middle of her back was hurting her. As for Wolf, well, if she had to guess he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Reluctantly Hattie had a breakfast of oat and protein bars. She had run out of water so she had no choice but to fill it up her bottle from the river. Hattie just hoped it was clean enough not to make her sick. Wolf gulped down his share too. She gave him some dog treats to eat, but by the way he begged for more she knew he was still hungry.

"I'm sorry boy. I promise, when we get out of here, it's gonna be premium puppy chow and milkbones." Hattie comforted, and the dog lolled his tongue out in a big smile.

They walked on. Hattie kept the map out with her for a few hours before she decided enough was enough. It was completely useless. Her only hope was that if she followed the river she would eventually come across some kind of house or town. It just _had_ to happen. Within nothing else better to look at, she admired the forest.

The air was so cold yet the trees were on fire. Scarlet and gold streaks against a blue sky, no grey despite the chill. She enjoyed the colors, more vibrant than any carnival parade. The trees were mostly deciduous, but she could see some tall pines here and there. The undergrowth wasn't so bad to deal with since she was mostly walking along the banks of the river, but every once in a while she was forced a little ways into the woods when the river became rough. The woodland itself was ominously quiet at times, only interrupted by the occasional birdsong or rustle of leaves as Hattie walked. She found it oddly soothing.

 _Guess I'm a country girl at heart._

Looking through her phone confirmed this. She read all the texts from her grandmother and it seemed that she and her grandparents went camping and hiking a lot. There were also a ton of photos of them all together with Wolf, smiling with backgrounds of beautiful landscapes. She also learned that until she went off to university in the UK to study archaeology, she had been living with her grandparents too. It explained something of the messages between her and her father, which were formal and mostly about him visiting on the holidays. Hattie wondered about her mother but there wasn't any clue as to what happened to her. As sad as this was, what really got to Hattie was that the messages between her and her grandmother stopped about a year ago, right in the middle of making plans to go to the Grand Canyon a second time. Just…stopped. Like she and grandpa both disappeared. Hattie still could not remember either of them clearly, but just thinking of them made her ache with loneliness so sharp it was like being stabbed.

 _If exposure or starvation doesn't get me first, then homesickness will…_

Hattie tried not to think like that. It was now late in the afternoon, and Hattie knew she had to do something about the blood on her hair and clothes. It was really starting to stink, and if there was a cut an infection could be already setting in. Just because she couldn't find the cause for the blood didn't mean there wasn't one.

She stopped by the river bank and stripped off her jacket, jumper, and shirt. She washed their collars first, using her two-in-one hair wash to remove as much blood as possible. Placing them on the shore to dry, she bent over and cupped water onto her head. The water was surprisingly warm, still heated by the melt in summer. When she lathered her head, she expected the soap to irritate whatever cut she had, but she felt nothing. Perhaps it hadn't been her blood after all. But a concussion was still her only logical explanation for her sudden memory loss.

She dried her hair as best as she could with her the shirt had she worn and changed into her clean one in the pack. Putting back on her jumper and jacket, she walked on, combing her hair out as she went with her brush.

Hattie wanted to keep looking at her phone, mostly to see if she had gotten a signal yet, but she also wanted to keep looking at the pictures. But with the power draining, she tried to think of other things to remember as she dove once more into the forest to avoid a tricky looking riverbank.

Like Wolf. As they were walking he would often leave her side and then a few minutes later he would be back. She never worried though, as she seemed to remember him doing this whenever they went hiking together. He just liked to wander off, just out of sight, but he always came back. When he got too distracted she would just use the whistle and he came running to her. He really was a good dog. She talked to him to calm her nerves, and she swore the dog would give her a particular look or make a sound like he was talking back.

 _Could just be a dog person thing though. Like my insistent need to call him 'Wolfy-Smoofy' with no shame._

Lost in her thoughts, Hattie didn't notice a jutting stone blocking her way. She did a complete face plant. Like nose meet ground kind of face plant.

 _Hiker, yes. Graceful, no._

Hattie groaned as she pulled herself up. She sent a hateful glare to the rock responsible for this, but ended up gawking at it instead.

It…it was a foundation stone. The kind meant for a building. Cut perfect and placed next to others of its kind to lay out what she could see was once the corner of a large abode. She looked around her, seeing more stones like this. Whatever it was, it must have been huge. At least as large as a castle. The stones were hidden by overgrown vines, lost behind veils of green, but her trained eye picked up on them. She followed their direction, shaping out rooms or adjacent buildings. Her heart raced.

 _Is this…is this Vindolanda? Did I make it back?_

Hattie threw down her backpack to find her journal. Her notes on the site quickly disproved her hopes, but she did not feel disappointed as she felt the need to take new notes on what she had found. Hattie knew in all likelihood that this place had already been discovered, but she still felt the exhilaration of discovery as she sketched out the foundation. And when she found what had once been a grand hall, it felt like Christmas.

Hattie couldn't resist. She took out her phone and took several pictures. England was an old country, and probably this place already had its own pamphlet for tourists, but Hattie had to wonder. If she was studying medieval culture and architecture, then why hadn't she ever heard of a little place like this so close to Vindolanda? Then again, she had lost her memory recently, so maybe she should give herself the benefit of the doubt.

 _Still, this place is…pretty cool. Like wet my pants cool. Alright, that was a little nerdy and gross._

As it was late evening by this time, Hattie decided to camp out by the ruins. Proof that people had once been here, even a long time ago, gave her a kind of comfort. She once more tried to start a fire, but again she failed. Given her experience in camping she assumed she knew somehow how to make a fire, but without a lighter or a starter she had no luck. Again feasting on her bars and filling Wolf with treats, the two of them snuggled. Even though she couldn't be sure, Hattie felt like they had at least walked seventeen that day, maybe twenty miles. On the map the woods couldn't be more than ten in either direction.

Thinking, Hattie wondered if she might just be getting herself more lost.

"I don't know Wolf." She sighed, "I think we're going the wrong way. Maybe tomorrow we should turn back."

Wolf looked up at her and whined.

 _'_ _No. This is the right way.'_

Hattie could only blink for a few minutes. Clearing her throat, she patted her dog's head.

"Um…okay?" Was all she could bring herself to say. She thought she was hearing a voice before, but she finally noticed that she wasn't hearing it unless she was talking to Wolf. Still, it had to be the concussion. She really needed to get to a hospital. She only hoped she was going the right direction…

 ** _Day Three_**

Hattie's third day in the woods was mostly uneventful. She continued in the direction she had been going, following the river downstream. It disappointed her to leave the ruins, but in a way it made her happy. It confirmed a part of her, the part of her that loved to learn and discover. She really was an archaeology student.

The day came and went. Hattie was getting really sick of protein bars, but also she was glad that she had something by way of endurance. She probably went another fifteen miles without so much as a blister. Then again, it could be just because she had really good shoes. She checked Wolf's paws to make sure he was doing alright too, but he was in tip top shape. She actually noticed a little blood on his muzzle, and wondered if he had been catching rabbits or something to feed himself. She worried about disease and bacteria for him, but then there really wasn't much she could offer him by way of food since she had run out of treats. In a few days she would run out of food too if she didn't count the sweets.

A panic was beginning to build in her. She was amazed it hadn't happen sooner. Hattie walked on until sunset, hoping to find some sign of civilization outside of the ruins. When she did stop it was already dark and she could barely see, even with her flashlight, as she hunted for a place to bed down. She didn't even bother trying to set a fire. Wrapping herself up in the blanket in complete exhaustion, she just hoped she could finally get a little sleep.

 _And…I just jinxed myself._

She really did. Tossing and turning occurred for a few hours before Hattie gave up and looked at her phone. She was at twenty percent power. It would die before morning. She tried calling someone, anyone, but no luck. Hattie felt like breaking down and crying then, when something intervened.

 _Thud._

Hattie looked around her. She was getting used to the sounds in the night, animals moving about her though unseen. But this…this wasn't _just_ an animal.

 _Thud. Thud._

Hattie stood up, wondering if England had frequent earthquakes as she felt the ground beginning to shake beneath her.

 _Thud. Thud. Thud._

Hattie looked in the direction the sound came. A huge, hulking figure strode past a little ways where she was. In the blackness of the night she could barely discern it from the trees, but she knew what it was the moment she spotted it.

It…it was a troll. She had no other word for it expect… _troll_.

It had scaly grey skin with a domed head with a flat face, arms extending almost to the ground to the point its knuckles dragged. Its pot belly jiggled with every step, and she could hear the heavy pants coming from its mouth, forming small clouds in the cold night air. It walked on large feet with two split toes, lumbering through the undergrowth that barely impeded it.

Hattie felt her jaw go slack. Her heart stopped. This couldn't be happening. England didn't have trolls. They had castles and flats and that adorable accent, but they did not have _trolls_. Her head was spinning and she felt like any moment now she was going to faint she became so light headed. Despite this, Hattie had enough brain power to switch the camera of her phone to video recording to film the thing.

 _Sasquatch, eat your heart out._

The creature passed her, moving at a leisurely pace. But when the wind changed direction so that Hattie was suddenly upwind of it, it stopped. Its nostrils flared as it sucked in the air, and when it turned to face her direction, Hattie suddenly remembered how to tremble. When it took a step forward, she remembered how flight or fight worked. She was stuck between the two when she felt a tug on her sleeve. With little resistance, she was pulled to the ground.

 _'_ _Stay still.'_

It was that voice again, but the only thing she could see was Wolf. He was next to her, putting his head against hers as he laid completely still. She didn't even know an animal could be so calm. When the troll stomped closer to where they were, Hattie felt the need to scream. Instead, she put her face against Wolf's fur, taking comfort in his warmth. She counted the seconds, trying to ignore the impossible creature that was suddenly three feet from her. One more step and it would crush her head. It was still sniffing, and was about to bend down when the wind changed again. It lost the scent, and in frustration it sniffed here and there, a growl building from the back of its throat. Hattie guessed the creature relied more on its nose than its ears and eyes. After a few agonizing seconds, it turned and stomped away. In moments it was gone.

Hattie refused to move though. She stayed perfectly still and so did Wolf. The cold ground made her shiver but she did not pick herself up. Possibly hours passed, and when she did move it was to hold herself.

 _That…it couldn't have been real. It couldn't have._

Hattie looked at her phone. Ten percent power. She looked at the video she just took. There had been something there. It had been a monstrous thing that stomped right out of the pages of fiction into Hattie's reality. She just couldn't comprehend it. She refused to. And yet…how could she refute it?

Hattie spent the rest of her phone's battery power reviewing the video she took and the photos stored on it. The last thing she saw before the phone died was the faces of her grandparents. When their image flickered and went black it was like she had lost them all over again.

 ** _Day Four_**

When morning came, Hattie had to review her situation.

Her map was useless. It was useless because she was not anywhere near Vindolanda or the river Chainley Burn. She wondered if she was even in England anymore. And if she wasn't then what could possibly explain what had happened to her that she was suddenly seeing trolls? She went through the possibilities.

Okay, first. Was she really suffering from a concussion? Yes. It would explain the blood and memory loss. But what if it was more than that? What if she had bleed out in the woods and was now a wandering spirit? She hoped that wasn't it. She didn't want to be dead. She was too stressed out to handle being dead on top of being lost in the woods!

 _Now wait a minute. This isn't productive. Alright, first thing's first. Am I, in fact, dead?_

That might be possible. She could be dead and this could be the afterlife. Hattie looked at the desolate woods around her, and she gulped. She really didn't want think it would be a part of the hereafter, it seemed too lonesome. And Hattie suddenly realized that being alone was her worst version of Hell. Panicked, Hattie felt for the artery in her neck, and was relieved to feel a pulse, beating rapidly. Dead people didn't have pulses. Plus there was that whole troll thing still.

So, next question, was she dreaming? A simple pinch wouldn't do it for her, Hattie needed to be absolutely certain. She walked over to the nearest tree.

"OW, FUCK!" She howled after she gave the trunk of the tree a good, _hard_ kick. The pain that shot up her leg was enough proof for her, though for extra measure she did it three more times, resulting in a further string of swears.

 _Not dreaming. Fair enough. Next, insane?_

…that was…well, she had no idea how to prove that. Oh, wait, wasn't there a saying the moment you wonder about your sanity you are still in fact sane? Or was it the other way around? GOD!

"Well, how about we start with the basics? Name? Hattie. Good so far. Favorite snack? Uh…Gummy bears! Favorite color? Green. No wait, grey! I still can't remember! Damn it!"

Sane or not, insane or not, Hattie felt the need to start walking again. She had no clear direction other than following the river, as she supposed it was there for a reason. It was the only landmark she had to go on anyway. Wolf at least still seemed content with the direction they were going. And right now she trusted his instincts over hers. He would still wander off and come back, but Hattie tried to keep him close because of what she had seen last night. This effort resulted in her throwing a stick for him to fetch and retrieve, something he was very happy to do over and over again. At least one of them was happy.

Even with everything going on, Hattie was surprised to find she did not miss anyone. Well, of course she missed her grandparents. But as the hours wore on she wondered if there was anyone else in her life besides them and Wolf. Perhaps she was a reserved person who only trusted a few enough to call them loved ones or friends. Or, maybe, she was just loveless and friendless. Nothing in the photos had given her proof either way, and certainly her lack of memories didn't help. She tried to think of simple things, simple encounters.

Childhood friend? – _Some kid with thick glasses named Tommy._

First kiss? – _Same person. By the swing set in third grade._

High school friend? – _Don't know…_

First boyfriend – _Uh…I think I might actually be a...well, you know..._

Hattie felt like a dejected piece of humanity. Could she really not remember any of this? Her mother's name? Her father's face? The sound of her grandmother's voice or the corny jokes that her grandfather would make? She knew that it couldn't be helped, but that she couldn't remember any of them made her feel like it was her fault. Like she was failing them in some way. She wanted to remember but she couldn't. She wanted to get out of these woods but she couldn't. She wanted to go home but she couldn't!

"Aaarrrggghhh!" Screamed Hattie, finally losing it.

She sat down on the nearest rock, trying to cry but finding that she couldn't summon the tears. Instead she heaved dried sobs, railing against everything. It felt cathartic to scream. Even just a little. Wolf nuzzled against her, trying to comfort her with soft whines. She held onto him until she recovered. It took about an hour, but after she forced herself to continue.

She only had food for one more day. If she didn't get out of these woods before then, she was in trouble.

 ** _Day Five_**

Hattie was really getting frustrated with this whole fire business. _Cave men_ could build fires without lighters or starters, why couldn't she? Maybe she wasn't all the hardy country girl she thought she was. In fact, she would trade her soul for a hot shower and a slice of pizza right now.

She had spent yet another cold and anxiety filled night in the woods. She ate her last protein bar for breakfast, savoring its chalky taste. Wolf wandered off and came back an hour later with a little bit of fur sticking out of his mouth. It looked like the tail of a squirrel. At least she didn't need to worry about him starving. Maybe she could scavenge off of the forest for a time and stretch out her days until she could reach civilization. She had recognized a few plants here and there, but none of them were edible. Even if she did find something to eat, it still seemed she had a long way to go before she would be out of the woods.

Hattie knew this, beacuse there were signs she could no longer ignore.

First, there was the stars.

England was a thriving, first world country. Even with its beautiful country sides there was light pollution that made the Milky Way a little less bright. But here, in the dead of night, Hattie could swear she was seeing stars again for the first time. The sky was a blanket of them. Like millions of holes punched through black velvet. It was beautiful and breathtaking and it scared her to pieces. Even with her memories scattered she knew she had _never_ seen a night sky like this. It was like the world was new and she was the only human alive to witness it.

That thought carried over to her second disturbing observation. There was no litter. Yeah, sure, she was in the middle of the woods, but she had yet to come across so much as a candy wrapper let alone a brick or a soda can or even a tire chucked into the river. Everything was far to clean. Again, as if she was the only human in existence.

Even worse, for the first time since she began her journey, the forest cleared, and from the river she could see snow capped mountains. Not foothills, not cliffs, _mountains_. England did not have mountains like this. At least not where she could remember last being. From what she could see it was a range of them, stretching from North to South. Wherever she was, she was definitely not in any country she recognized, and it was really starting to freak her out.

 _Plus, yeah, THERE WAS THAT WHOLE TROLL THING!_

But, as the afternoon rolled around, Hattie decided to deal with a less existential matter. She smelled. _Bad_.

With all the stress she was feeling, with all the miles she had walked, Hattie had accumulated a _very_ pungent scent. No wonder the troll almost got her.

With nothing else better to do, Hattie went to the river. She noticed this was the slowest it had ever been since she had started following it. Hattie weighed the pros and cons of trying to cross it, but one side of the river was as good as she other she decided.

She got to work.

Stripping fully, Hattie decided to brave the waters in the buff. She laid out her clothes on the shore, and Wolf faithfully laid down beside them, happy to take a little nap. Even though she knew no one was around, she felt very exposed and covered herself with her hands as she waded in.

 _Huh, guess I'm the bashful type._

Like when she washed her hair, it was not very cold, but she only waded in a little for fear of the current sweeping her away. It came up only to her knees before she stopped. She had her washcloth and body soap with her, and she started a lather. She tried to enjoy the simple pleasure of scrubbing herself clean, loving the lavender scent of her soap. She shivered and her teeth chattered a little, but when she felt something on her on the skin of her back she went still.

There was… _something_ on her back. Her fingers were running over bumps that stung the moment she touched them, like she had rash. She realized that this was what had been hurting her back the past few days. Hattie twisted this way and that and caught glimpses of what looked like letters of a foreign language. She ran a hand over the lower portion of her back and felt the marks were raised from her skin, as if they were carved out of her.

"Huh. That's…weird." Was all she could think to comment. Did she have a tattoo? Weren't those smooth though? Maybe she had just gotten it and so it was just starting to heal. Still, she didn't think herself the kind of girl who felt they could rock a full back tattoo. Odd, it reminded her of something, though she couldn't put her finger on it.

Hattie felt disturbed by it. Was her memory loss so bad that she couldn't even remember getting this? She could remember how to tie her shoes and things, sure, but not her mother's name or what her favorite color was.

 _For the last time, it is green. Blue. Grey. Something, god!_

Hattie continued to clean herself, and to distract her from the cold Hattie tried to think of a song to sing. Things were starting coming back to her the more she tried to remember them. For instance, she seemed to have unlimited supply of song lyrics. Since morning she ran whole songs through her head, not daring to sing them out loud because of the t-r-o-l-l. Sometimes she would even remember what the song was called or where it was from. Apparently she was a huge Disney fan. She picked one in particular that struck her fancy and started to sing, pretending that everything was normal even for just one song.

"Yes, you want her! Look at her you know you do! It's possible she wants you too, there's one way to ask her!"

Well, she didn't so much sing. Holler musically was really more what she did. She had a vague notion that she once was in a choir as a little girl but got kicked out. Still, it felt good to break the silence of the forest. It was just so quiet here.

"It don't take a word, not a single word. Go on and kiss the girl!"

Hattie for the first time in a long while, was actually starting to feel better. Nostalgia was a powerful thing she supposed.

"Sha, la, la, la, la, la! My, oh my! Looks like the boy's too shy! Ain't gonna kiss the girl! Sha, la, la, la, la, AHHH!"

And that's when she saw _him_.

He was just _standing_ there. Right on the riverbank, about twenty feet from where she was washing herself. He looked like he had just stepped out of a historical novel, his lean build clothed in a green tunic and a cloak. His hair was long and light, and she could have sworn she saw it give off a reflection it was so shiny. And even from this distance Hattie could tell that his ears were also pointed. _Very pointed_.

As interesting as all that was, it was indisputable the man was looking right, at, her. He seemed just as surprised as she was, but she also noticed that he had a bow in his hands, an arrow drawn back and ready to fire. This fact was glossed over though in comparison to her being caught in the buff by a stranger.

Hattie immediately reached to hide her breasts and crouched down to cover herself. She could feel a blush crawling from her cheeks, down her neck, and to her chest, inflaming her in bright red. Her mouth fell open and closed like a fish before she could speak.

"Oh my god! Pervert!" She accused so loudly it echoed off of the mountains in the distance.

 _Great, first person I see is a peeping tom. I must not be a lucky person._

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Ah, yes, poor Hattie. I know I promised Legolas would be in this chapter but it really wasn't much. I hope the next chapter makes up for it though because they officially meet!


	3. Ignorance is Bliss Until Wizards Happen

**Chapter 3; Ignorance is Bliss Until Wizards Happen:**

 ** _Side note:_** The Elvish translations are from two websites I had found and I will post them side by side in the text unless I want to tease you guys by keeping it out (mostly because it has relevance later on). Also, if you see anything blatantly wrong with the Elvish, please let me know as well as _how_ you know. Like if you have a better website for me to use, I would appreciate it! Well, I would like to thank everyone who has been so _supportive_ of this story so far and hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Hattie would be the first to admit, not everything always was as it seemed at first. Like these woods. She had at first thought she was in England and that she would be safe within a matter of hours. That was wrong. She also thought she knew the difference between fact and fantasy. That was also proved wrong when she started seeing trolls. She had also thought that she was completely alone when she had decided to take a break from all her worries and wash herself of them. And seeing how this was her third strike, of course it had to be a big one.

He was just staring…

Right at her.

The two of them had locked eyes; his cold, hers horrified. He kept the string of his bow pulled back so far she could hear the groan of wood from the tension. He did not move, keeping his stance firm upon the bank of the river. Any second now she thought he would let the arrow fly and kill her like some poor little cornered deer, but no. He just kept staring.

Just staring.

Staring.

 _Stare._

"S-stop that!" Hattie yelled at him when she could no longer take it. Any relief she felt at seeing anyone since waking up alone was replaced by her embarrassment. She was still crouched over, her hands covering what the water couldn't. She started to shake, but whether of the cold or her mortification she couldn't decide.

 _"_ _Yan naa lle? Pedo hi."_ (Who are you? Speak quickly.)

Hattie fairly jumped when he spoke. His voice was soft and rich, but laced with anger. When he saw that she didn't understand what he had said, he spoke again.

"Who are you?"

"I'm…I'mHattieO'ConnorandI'mlostandI'mnaked!" Hattie spoke so quickly she wasn't entirely certain of what she had said. The man wasn't fazed by it, or by her nakedness either, and narrowed his eyes at her as if he could see what sins were written on her soul. Hattie ignored the piercing look as she concentrated on the arrow that was aimed to the little space where her heart occupied.

"Do you have to keep that thing pointed at me?" Hattie tried not to sound accusing, not wanting to anger the man, but she failed. She wondered if it was possible for someone to be afraid and annoyed and the same time.

 _Given my current situation though, I would say I deserve a fucking medal for how calm I am! A big shiny one!_

"Why do you follow us?" He pressed, but Hattie only shook her head.

"Follow? Follow who?"

The man did not look satisfied with her answer and took a step forward. Hattie wanted to take a step back, but there really wasn't any point in her retreating. There wasn't anywhere for her to go. Instead she just crouched lower into the water. She could feel him looking her over, assessing her, and she bristled. A string of swears ran through her head that she wanted shout at him, but she decided to be rational. He didn't seem to be perverse, merely cautious, as if he had expected to find an enemy rather than her. Then again, it was just plain rude that he didn't clear his throat or something before he started making accusations.

"Can we, um, can we talk after I get dressed?" She gave a half smile, but as she was starting to shiver uncontrollably it probably looked like a snarl. The stranger's arrow didn't waver, but he did break eye contact to glance at her dog. Wolf was still by her clothes, laying down and looking at the stranger curiously but otherwise relaxed.

"He won't hurt you if that's what you're thinking." The stranger looked back to Hattie. His expression was becoming less severe as he was realizing how little of a threat she presented. Still, he kept his arrow on her. Hattie suppressed a groan of frustration.

"Look, I'm naked and I'm about to lose feeling in my extremities. So would you please, _please_ , stop pointing that bow at me and turn around?" Hattie asked impatiently.

Slowly, very slowly, the stranger lowered the tip of his arrow till it pointed at the ground. Hattie felt herself breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thanks. Now, uh, t-turn around?" She pressed. The stranger narrowed his eyes further at this as if he expected some trick, but looking to her clothes and then her, he complied. He turned to the side and averted his gaze. Hattie assumed this was the best she was going to get. She really didn't want to walk closer to him, but then she didn't have any other choice unless she wanted to swim away naked. And given how blue her toes were already it wouldn't be a very long dip.

 _Can I even swim? That's the real question. I seem to remember a really bad belly flop incident._

Sighing to herself, Hattie stood up. Her hands covered as much as she could and she hurried out of the water. The pebbled shore abused her poor feet, and she hissed as something pricked her heel. Going to her plaid shirt, she used it to dry herself off as quickly as possible. Wolf was standing now, still appearing rather unconcerned with the whole situation. He was looking towards the woods expectantly and Hattie rolled her eyes.

 _Some dog you are. You bark when a squirrel is around but not when a complete stranger sneaks up on me? Thanks a lot._

 _'_ _All will be well. We have found them.'_

 _Yeah, okay…what?_

Ignoring the voice, she tossed her shirt aside as she put on her clothes, rushing blindly that she ended up with putting her jumper on inside out. When she had bent over and laced up her boots the stranger turned to face her again.

Hattie gulped as she straightened herself. Now that they were close, she noticed a few more things about him that definitely placed him in the _slightly off_ category. His height made him tower over her, but that wasn't really saying much since Hattie was rather short. She barely came to his shoulder. The stranger wore a long green tunic with a belt over it, with grey hose tucked into leather boots. His hair was light and fine, falling into perfect place, but his brows were dark. This made his eyes, already the color of the hottest part of a flame, stand out. His features were sharp and defined, especially his prominent cheekbones, as if cut from the most perfect marble to exist. He was handsome, she would admit, but in a unnatural way. An inhuman way.

How could someone so stunning be so bat shit crazy?

 _Well, looks aren't everything…_

"Is this your property here? I'm sorry if I'm trespassing but I've been lost for a couple days now." Hattie explained, deciding it was best to act as politely as possible. Even if the guy was strange and possibly dangerous, she was desperate to get out of these woods. The man's stern expression came back, shadowing his features darkly.

"Lies, you have been following." He growled at her. Hattie took a step away from him, nearly tripping backwards over her packs.

"No. I'm lost. Can you help me?" Hattie asked, but now she had to wonder if this was the right kind of person to ask for help.

"Why have you been following us for five days?"

"Following who?!" Hattie flustered. She was afraid that arrow would be pointed at her again when another voice spoke up.

"Legolas?"

Another man stepped out of the forest, coming to stand in the space between Hattie and the stranger. He had dark hair and sparsely growing stubble on his cutting jaw. The clothes he wore were similar to his companion though darker in color and with a long jacket that reached down to his ankles. Overall he was attractive in that ruggedly careless kind of way, but Hattie swallowed nervously when she noticed a board sword in his hands.

 _"_ _Estel, sina naa i er ya anaië epë men."_ (Estel, this is the one who has been following us.) The light haired man turned to speak. The dark haired man looked from his companion to Hattie. She flinched as his eyes traveled over her as well, trying to decipher her like some puzzle.

"She does not look much like a spy. She is but a maid." He said softly as his lips pulled down in thought. He seemed confused to see her here, but unlike his friend he was not antagonistic.

"I'm not a spy. I'm lost." Hattie insisted, happy to see that this man seemed somewhat saner of the two. The darker man continued to step forward until he was next to the light haired man.

 _"_ _Re an Eldarin pícë he opto."_ (She has Elvish upon her back.) The light haired man whispered to him. His thoughtful frown deepened.

" _Naitië?_ " (Truly?)

 _"_ _Ná."_ (Yes)

"Now that is strange." The dark haired man turned back to Hattie, looking her over again with a new interest. "What is a maid like you doing here? This is a dangerous place to travel alone."

"I'm not alone." Hattie said, gesturing to Wolf. He was sitting right beside her, his tongue lolling out of one side in that playful and vacant way. If he wasn't so adorable she'd be more annoyed with him.

"Yes, we can see that." The dark haired man nodded to her dog.

"Why do you travel with a _draug_?" Asked the light haired man interrogatively.

"Well, he's my dog, Wolf." Hattie corrected.

"Yes, a wolf. A _draug_."

"No, his name is Wolf. He is a dog."

The man shook his head.

"I do not understand."

"Neither do I." Hattie's face furrowed, wondering what the hell the man was talking about. The dark haired man seemed to be a little bit amused at the exchange. Having enough of this, Hattie spoke curtly.

"Look, if you take me to a town or a hospital then maybe, _maybe_ , I won't press charges for your peeping tom buddy here." She gestured to the light haired man. The dark haired man considered what she said but did not seem to understand it. He reflected for a while before giving his partner a solemn nod.

"I think it might be best if we took her to Gandalf. A human lost so close to Rivendell is curious. A human with Elvish on her back is even more so."

"Sorry, take me to who?" Hattie asked, unable to process what the man said further than that.

 _Did he just say what I think he said? And, wait…Elvish?_

"He is one of our company. If any can help you, it is he." Explained the dark haired man. Hattie looked from him to his friend. She realized she didn't really didn't want to go anywhere with these guys. There was something off about them, from the way they dressed to the way they spoke. Hattie wasn't one to judge appearances, but it was just a little much for her to take in. Also the fact that both men were armed while she had nothing more than a gardening trowel and an overly friendly dog made her feel the odds were _slightly_ in their favor.

"You know what? I'm okay. Is there a clinic or a hospital nearby? I'll just walk to it myself." She smiled, hoping the men wouldn't take offense.

"I know of no such places in these woods. Come." The dark haired man insisted. Hattie started to get nervous all over again.

"I'm…not so sure about following strangers into the creepy forest."

"No harm shall befall you."

Before Hattie could think of another way to decline, the light haired man moved past her and picked up her packs. Slinging them over his shoulder he stood there, waiting for her to follow the dark haired man. Hattie weighed the pros and cons of running for it, but the cons overwhelmingly won out. Hattie bit her lip nervously as she turned to follow the rugged man into the woods. She just hoped it wasn't the worst mistake of her life.

With Wolf at her side, Hattie walked the small path the dark haired man cleared through the undergrowth. The afternoon was wearing on to early evening, and the dark shadows of the woods grew longer. Hattie was battling between nerves and relief. That she was following two men dressed as renaissance fair escapees was hardly reassuring by way of being rescued. Of course, she could see their clothes were very authentic, down to the wear on their sleeves. Even if they were fanatics, at least they were devoted fanatics. Still it was a small relief to see human faces after so long.

 _Well, humanish…_

Hattie could not resist glancing back at the light haired man. _Those ears_. She couldn't look away from them. It was easy to see that they weren't prosthetics. And while they were peculiar but she had to admit they rather fit the man. His hair was half pulled back and braided as if to show them off proudly. When he caught her looking though, she panicked.

"Your ears are…nice."

His brows pulled down in a look Hattie assumed was irritation. She immediately faced forward.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

 _Guess I have no filter. He might actually be rather sensitive about them._

Hattie scolded herself. This guy had pointed an _arrow_ at her heart. No sympathy points for him.

They walked the better part of half an hour. She was being led deeper and deeper into the woods, but she could still hear the river. The two men had not said a word to her, and she was wondering if it was such a bright idea that she went with them. She didn't want to think herself the naive type, but the evidence was mounting. A thousand conflicting thoughts went through her head about what to do or what to say if this all went bad. But when she started to smell bacon cooking she didn't care. Her stomach chewed on itself at the scent.

 _Food…real food…really real food!_

The woods opened up to a small clearing littered with boulders. Dead in the center was the fire with a small gathering of children surrounding it. She noticed one of them held a frying pan, obviously the designated cook for this little camp out. Further from them and leaning against a boulder was another. He was slightly taller than the children but wasn't one himself given his impressive beard. They were all wearing cloaks and tunics and the bearded one had a helmet from which his watchful eyes peered out from.

"Stay here." The dark haired man told her. Hattie wanted ask him what this all was, but he abandoned her to walk towards the fire. This left Hattie standing at the edge of the clearing with the light haired man. Hattie shuffled on her feet as she watched the dark haired man go over to two others she had not noticed. A brown, almost reddish, haired man dressed more finely than the others but also carrying a broadsword at his side, and a man wearing…

 _Is that man wearing a pointed hat?_

Several things clicked into place Hattie's brain, but she ignored them for a more benign answer.

Smiling she turned to the light haired man.

"So, you guys larping. That makes sense. Is there an event happening?" She asked. Perhaps that's why they acted so strangely. They were trying to stay in character.

"Larp-ing?" He struggled to say.

"You know, the whole 'Lighting Bolt!' kind of deal."

His continued to frown at her, making her smile waver, until the dark haired man returned. He brought with him the man with the pointed hat.

"This is she Gandalf. The one who has been following us." He said as he gestured to Hattie. Hattie's smiled faltered.

Unlike the others who appeared young or middle aged, this gentleman's visage was that of an older man, almost like her grandfather. His open, soft features were parted by a rather large, round nose and his tired blue eyes were framed by laughter lines. He wore a dark grey robes tied with a belt across his middle. On his head was, yes, a rather large pointed hat, and he was holding onto a long staff topped with a twisted knot of wood. His eyes lingered on her shoes, clothes, and finally her face before he smiled through the long grey beard.

"Ah, what have we here? Hm?" He asked in a voice soft and edged with humor.

"Uh…?" Was all Hattie could bring herself to utter.

 _He…he looks just like Ian McKellen._

"Well, for a spy, you are certainly a young one." He smiled at her. Hattie was about to insist that, once more, she was not a spy, when Wolf left her side. He strode right up to the old man, his tail wagging wildly. The others tensed as if they expected her dog to attack, but they stilled themselves when Wolf started to lick the grey man's hand. He chuckled in amusement and patted her dog's head. Wolf responded to this by jumping up and putting his paws on the man.

"Wolf, down boy. No, bad!" Hattie reacted and came forward to pull her dog off. Wolf pulled against her though, wanting to return to the old man's side. She noticed a few of the others, namely the reddish haired man, starting to come over to see what the commotion was about.

"He certainly is a friendly fellow." Commented the grey cloaked man. Hattie gave him an apologetic smile as she tried to get Wolf to sit still.

"The dog seems to recognize you." Observed the dark haired man. The grey man nodded thoughtfully.

"It would seem so." He looked back to Hattie, "Pardon an old man's memory, but, have we met?"

"N-no." She shook her head. The grey man - she supposed she should call him Gandalf for now - did not seem to believe her stutter.

"And yet, if I might be mistaken, you seem to recognize us."

"Well," She struggled to say, not wanting to offend, "you do look a _lot_ like him."

 _"_ _Him?"_ The Gandalf annunciated heavily.

"You know, Gandalf? From the Hobbit? The Fellowship of the Ring?" Hattie smiled, looking at the others. Now that she thought about it, they were all dressed like the other eight members. The children she had saw before were closer now, and she could see that they were actually small adults with large hairy feet. She beamed at them but they gave her a funny look, "Are you guys shooting a fan film or something?"

"Did you say 'Fellowship'?" Repeated the man playing Gandalf as his bushy eyebrows disappeared past the brim of his hat in surprise. Hattie, refusing to take a hint, smiled wider.

"Yeah. The Fellowship. Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, Legolas, Pippin, Merry, Sam, and Frodo the Ring bearer." She listed, spinning in a circle as she pointed. She was amazed at her memory of the characters, but then she supposed she was just as big a fan of the trilogy as these guys were. Just her strange kind of luck that the people to rescue her from the woods would be a bunch of nerds. Seemed almost fitting.

Though...it just occurred to Hattie that she wasn't seeing any cameras standing around. There was also a horse, small and brown and laden with supplies idly munching on grass not far from where they were. Stranger still, after she spoke their names, each member of the party visibly paled or scowled at her. The one playing Frodo looked ready to faint. It was slowly starting to dawn on her that things, yet again, were not what as simple as they seemed…

 _There's that X-Files music again._

"H-how does she know of Mr. Frodo and the Ring?" The Sam sputtered, looking to the wizard fearfully.

"Because she is a spy." Spoke up the Boromir actor, and Hattie balked to see him reach for the hilt of the sword at his side, "We left Rivendell in secrecy and she has been following us since."

"No. I…I'm lost." Hattie said while struggling to remain calm. A panic was building up in her, though not because the accusation. Things were coming together for her but she continued to ignore them.

"Then how does a lost _girl_ know our names? Know of the Fellowship?" He snarled at her, stepping closer to her. He was stopped when the Gandalf put an arm out in front of him.

"Still your hand, Boromir." He said patiently, giving Boromir a schooling look until he took his hand off of his sword. Gandalf nodded before turning back to Hattie. His expression became one of pondering as he strode forward and circled Hattie, paying particular attention to her clothes.

"Strange. Very strange." He muttered to himself, deep in his thoughts.

Hattie looked down at herself and pouted.

"Why does everybody keep saying that?"

"Tell me, what is your name?" Gandalf stopped in front of her to ask.

"Hattie O'Connor." She said with what little amount of certainty she had left.

" _Hattie O'Connor_ …yes, tell me Miss O'Connor why are you following us?"

"I didn't mean to. I just woke up here."

"Woke up?" Gandalf repeated.

Hattie, glad to finally get a chance to explain herself, talked quickly.

"I was walking with my dog when I must have hit my head. I've been wandering around lost in the woods for five days now. I really should be in a hospital right now."

She didn't bother to explain about the blood or memory loss, and she definitely wasn't going to mention the troll. These guys didn't really seem to be the most rational of people, but there was a line and seeing trolls was on the other side of it. None of the men seemed effected by her story though, but before any one of them could call her a lair again she continued.

"I'm not even from around here. I'm a volunteer for Vindolanda near Chainly Burn. The dig site?" Hattie stuffed a hand into the pocked of her jacket, pulling out her volunteer badge. She had kept it on her person like a talisman, proof that she was someone. She held it towards Gandalf and he took it from her gently. He flipped the laminated nametag this way and that curiously. He showed it to the Aragorn gentleman who had the same reaction to it.

"I have heard of no such place." Gandalf finally said after a moment. Before Hattie could explain further, the light haired man - Legolas no doubt - spoke up.

"These were with her."

He stepped around Hattie to approach Gandalf, holding her bags forward. The grey man glanced them over cautiously before opening one and reaching inside. As if he knew he would find it, he pulled out one of her books.

"Hey! Private property!" Hattie protested uselessly. Gandalf and the others ignored her as he allowed the book to fall open. He flipped through the pages and a perplexed look came over him, making his laughter lines diappear.

"This language is unknown to me." He said to himself as he turned another page. Hattie noticed it was the _Silmarillion_ book he was looking at, _thank god,_ but she was becoming edgier by the minute. Why didn't these guys believe her? Why weren't they calling for an ambulance or something? She had just spent five days lost in the woods and these guys were ignoring her over a hardback!

Having enough of this, Hattie stepped forward. She came up to the Gandalf man and planned on taking back her bag and book. He was running a reverent hand over the open pages. Quietly, so low Hattie could barely hear him, he whispered.

 _"_ _Parm templa tengwa."_ (Read magic)

Hattie stilled and watched as the words on the pages _glowed_ and then _moved_. They rearranged themselves slightly, shifting to form new words that Hattie barely recognized. It was something curiously like ye olde English, familiar yet foreign. But that really wasn't what she was concentrating on. The guy made _printed words_ move right before her eyes.

"Mmh, interesting. It is a script similar to the Common Tongue, though more refined. This should make it more legible though." Gandalf mused as he started to turn the pages. Hattie stood and gawked as a book she had once known so intimately was now almost illegible to her.

"H-how did you…how…?" She stuttered, but couldn't quite figure what she wanted to say. Her mind tried to logically wrap itself around what she had just witnessed. All she could do was stand there and blink.

 _Was that…did he just use magic…?_

Gandalf didn't give her long to consider as he read a passage out loud to the company.

"Among the tales of sorrow and of ruin that came down to us from the darkness of those days there are yet some in which amid weeping there is joy and under the shadow of death light that endures. And of these histories most fair still in the ears of the Elves is the tale of Beren and Lúthien."

He stopped, and everyone turned and looked at Hattie as if she had two heads. She shifted uncomfortably under their gaze. Gandalf turned a more pages and read on.

"But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dur, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure…"

A silence so pervading came over them all that Hattie swore she could hear a leaf drop. Hattie didn't know what to say or do with herself. If they were having a difficult time comprehending, then she had it a thousand times worse. Magic…right before her eyes. She looked at the men around her as if really seeing them for the first time. Their tunics, their weapons, their familiar faces…slowly Hattie was beginning to piece a puzzle that should be impossible. Hattie wanted to continue in her comfortable ignorance, but facts, too many facts, were piling up.

 _A troll…a wizard…and a man with pointed ears…add these together and they equal–_

"How have you come by this book?" Legolas broke the silence. He was glowering at her suspiciously, but Hattie forced herself out of her thoughts to stand her ground.

"It's mine, that's how." She told him curtly as she squared her shoulders.

"Your knowledge of history is very vast indeed to have possession of this. I do not believe even the finest of libraries has such a collection." Gandalf spoke as he flipped through the final pages, frowning deeply. She could have sworn the wizard paled then, becoming as white as a sheet. He ran his hand over the pages again and Hattie saw the words shift back to normal. Before she had time to wonder at it a second time, Gandalf closed the book and gave Hattie a meaningful look.

"Miss O'Connor, I believe you are _very_ lost indeed. More lost than you know and we can comprehend."He stepped closer to hand the book back to Hattie, who took it hesitantly.

The gears in Hattie's mind whirled.

 _A troll…a wizard…and a man with pointed ears…add these together and they equal….they equal…_

"You don't mean…" Hattie gasped, her eyes going as wide as dish plates. Gandalf gave her a solemn nod.

"Yes."

It hit her like a ton of bricks.

The troll, the wizard, the man with pointed ears. The forest, her useless map, their tunics, the swords, the short men, the Elvish, the magic. It all added to one horrible conclusion, but the only one Hattie had left now that she had exhausted all others. Her mind panicked to find anything, anything else, that might give her an answer, but she could no longer deny it. She clutched the book closely to her chest.

She was _really_ fucking lost.

Hattie looked around her like everything was new and horrifying. Because it was. She in _Middle-earth_. Her eyes landed on the rocks and trees, the dirt and grass. This wasn't England. This wasn't Earth. This wasn't home. She looked the men. The Fellowship. She placed names to faces again with more reverence and shock. Her eyes landing on the wizard she felt her panic burst.

"Oh, god." She moaned, "You really are Gandalf."

The wizard bowed his head a little.

"Yes, I am he."

"What am I doing here? How…how did I get here?" Hattie looked down to Wolf, who glanced up to her almost in understanding. He nudged her hand with his nose to get her to react but Hattie could not move or blink. Her mind, all a flutter of panic and confusion, halted. The blood, her memory loss…did that happen to her because she suffered more than from a concussion? Did she really leap from fact into fiction? Hattie felt a wave of nausea smack her full force. She only half heard the others as they started to talk amongst themselves.

"Who is she Gandalf?" Asked Aragorn. _The_ Aragorn. Strider, Estel, Heir of Isildur. The wizard, Stormcrow, White Rider, Mithrandir, Gandalf the Grey, was about to give an answer that Hattie herself would very much like to know right now, when the elf spoke.

"There is more. I saw Elvish writing upon her." Legolas Greenleaf - _the Prince of the Woodland Realm who saw her **naked**_ \- said in a tone that was suspicious and curious as he glanced to Hattie. Gandalf's brows knitted.

"Oh? And what did it say?"

 _"_ _Ilya i laurëa ná, mirilya lá, Queni yar ranyar ullumë vanwë umir."_ He whispered, but there really wasn't any need since only Gandalf and Aragorn only understood the language. All three looked to Hattie as if they expected her to respond, but she wasn't paying attention as her head started to ache.

 _Is my head spinning or is it just the entire world?_

"Really?" Gandalf chuckled, "Well, that is fitting."

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Hattie slumped down upon the ground, lowering her head between her knees for some stability.

"Quick, give her room." Someone said, and collectively the men stepped away from her as if she was going to explode.

"This…can't…be…happening." Hattie panted as her breathes became short. Wolf gave her a soft whine of concern as he tried to nuzzle himself into her arms.

"It can and is Miss O'Connor." Gandalf chided, "And though I claim not to understand it yet, I believe you and I should have a little heart to heart."

Gandalf turned to one of the hobbits and gestured back to the fire where Hattie could smell the abandoned bacon charring.

"Samwise, make a plate up for our guest. We shall talk over dinner."

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Ah, poor Hattie. Well, in the next chapter we will get something by way of an explanation as Hattie and Gandalf have a little chat. Review, fav, and follow if you have enjoyed! See you soon!


	4. She Doesn't Even Go Here!

**Chapter 4; She Doesn't Even Go Here!:**

 ** _Side note:_** So, a lot of heavy dialogue and some explanations finally given. I hope it all makes sense to you guys, and what not. There's really no way to make a person being pulled into a fictional world sound at all plausible, but eh, since when has that ever stopped fanfiction? Also, in the Silmarillion there is a brief section at the end on the events of Lord in Rings, talking about the Council of Elrond, Saruman's treachery, and even the destruction of the One Ring but not in great detail. Just fyi in case someone here hasn't read it. Onward, and enjoy!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

It took Hattie a half an hour to recover from her panic attack. It had taken a lot of deep breathing and the promise of a warm meal to help her regain faculty of her legs to walk over with Gandalf to the edge of the clearing. He wanted to keep away from the others and offered her a boulder to sit on. He sat on one opposite of her, and with her permission this time he looked at a few items pulled from her bags.

For the moment her IPod held the wizard's interest. Hattie was munching idly on the bacon, bread, and apple that one of the hobbits brought over for her on a handkerchief. Wolf was at her side, drooling and begging for a slice of bacon, but Hattie ignored him to watch the wizard. He had fiddled with the headphones for a while before turning the IPod over in his hands this way and that, and when he touched the screen it lit up. He frowned, but when he pressed one of the buttons and it started playing music he looked rather surprised.

"Extraordinary. In all my years I have never seen such a device." He muttered in disbelief as he pressed the button again, stopping the music. Hattie swallowed and then smiled.

"You like them? Nirvana is one of my favorites I think. Play 'Heart-Shaped Box' next."

Gandalf gave her a wry look, and Hattie glanced back down to her lap. She picked a piece of bacon and nibbled on the end.

"This is…this is good. A little burned but good."

Hattie had no idea what to do or say. How should someone act in this kind of situation? Would it be weird if she asked him to sign her book? He kept glancing at her as if she was the bizarre one, but this was Gandalf. _The_ Gandalf. He could do magic and fight dragons and fly on eagles. He was one of the most famous fictional characters and right now he was judging her taste in music.

 _Oh, god. There's the spinning again. Don't throw up, don't throw up, don't throw up, don't…_

"Miss O'Connor," Gandalf spoke, interrupting her new mantra, "if you have recovered, perhaps we might begin."

Hattie wasn't really feeling any better, but seeing as how she wouldn't until she regained her grip on reality she nodded. She was still caught up in her post panic haze, leaving her a little jaded and woozy. She wrapped up the untouched apple and slice of bread while she tossed the rest of the bacon to Wolf. He got them midair and gulped them down.

"Aw, good catch." Hattie cooed at her dog, but when she saw Gandalf's appalled glance she tried to put on a serious face.

 _Right, existential crisis time._

"Now, rather than starting with the 'how' and 'why', which seem to be the most perplexing, let is start with 'who'." Gandalf began, leaning forward, "So, Miss O'Connor, _who_ are you?"

Hattie bit her lip, wondering where to begin. She took a deep breath and just went for it.

"I believe I am an archaeology student who was studying in England and spending a semester volunteering for the Vindolanda dig site as part of a project. Medieval history seemed to be my focus, although Vindolanda is known as one of the most infamous Roman fortresses leftover from their invasions. I guess I wanted to…branch out…?" Hattie would have probably continued to prattle on if it wasn't for the displeased expression Gandalf was giving her.

"If I understood a single word of anything you had spoken, I would say that you described _what_ you are rather than _who,_ Miss O'Connor."

"Right." Hattie became sheepish, "Um, I'm not sure that's a question I can really answer."

"Miss O'Connor, if we are to get somewhere, we must at some point _begin_." Gandalf exasperated, and Hattie rushed to explain herself.

"Well, like I told you, I woke up in the forest alone. But I lost all my memories. There was blood on the ground and I could remember falling and crying for help but…besides my name I lost everything." Hattie shrugged. When she saw Gandalf about to ask for clarification she beat him to it.

"Some stuff is starting to come back to me the more I try to remember. Like just looking at that book I remembered what it was about. And when I looked through my phone I was able to figure out who was who to me. But names, faces, family…even my own mother I can't remember clearly." Hattie's voice faltered a little when she spoke, and she had to clear the lump in her throat. She glanced to Gandalf, seeing he if was understanding any of this. She didn't know why she was expecting answers from him. Just because he was one of the wisest in Middle-earth didn't mean he could even comprehend what happened to her, let alone explain it. Hell, Hattie didn't really want to understand it herself. It was still all too much to accept in the matter of an afternoon.

"Then let us start with what you can remember. How is it you know of the Fellowship?" Gandalf brought her attention back to the matter at hand.

Again, Hattie wondered how to begin. What should she say? What _shouldn't_ she say?

"Well…I'm not from around here. Like, really not." She tentatively began.

"You are from this England instead? Yes?"

"Sort of." Hattie frowned in thought, "I was studying there. I think I lived with my grandparents in…Wisconsin. Yes, definitely Wisconsin."

Hattie wondered where the answer came from, but the moment she said it, she knew it was true. No images of what her bedroom or house looked like came to her, but it was a small comfort to recall a place. She was quite pleased with herself but Gandalf looked unamused.

"The point I believe I was trying to make was that you are not from anywhere in this realm, _this world_ , yes?"

"Yeah. But how do you know that?" Hattie had to wonder. If she was in his position she would sooner call for the cops and tell them to bring a straightjacket than believe such a thing from a stranger. He was taking this rather well all things considered. Better than Hattie anyway.

"In a way, I suppose one might say that I have been expecting something like this to occur sooner or later…" Gandalf murmured to himself. His looked became clouded.

"What do you mean?" Hattie frowned, not certain she really heard him right. He waved her question away as he began to explain.

"Miss O'Connor, it does not take a great wizard to see that you, and your devices, are nothing the likes of Middle-earth has _ever_ seen before. More besides, I had looked to the last pages of your book and it spoke of the treachery of Saruman. That such privileged information has already been penned down speaks of something otherworldly, and I feared to read beyond that." Gandalf's voice lowered gravely, "Miss O'Connor, I would ask you to keep the book away from prying eyes. Even mine."

Hattie gulped and nodded. She clutched the book to her chest again. So that was why he changed the book back to English, he didn't want anyone else to read it. Good thing he didn't read beyond that part though. The world would have caved in on itself or something if he did. She wasn't sure she really believed all this yet, but she believed in the gravity the wizard spoke with.

"So, in this Wis-con-sin," He annunciated slowly and Hattie had to stifle a laugh, "they have books like this? Books about our world?"

"Oh yeah. Tolkien wrote them about sixty years ago." Hattie explained. She supposed that was harmless to tell him that. As for the movies and Peter Jackson, she didn't want to touch those with a thirty foot pole. Of course she loved the movies, but she could see a bit of a problem in trying to explain film and actors to a guy who was impressed with her headphones.

 _I don't even know how he would react to the ships. Oh, god, the ships._

"How did this Tolkien gain knowledge enough to write a book about our history to the recent present?" Gandalf pressed, and Hattie replied as honestly as she could.

"That I am not sure on. All I know about was that he was and _is_ one of the greatest fantasy writers in our world. Or scribe I guess." She interpreted for him.

"And you have read this scribe's works?"

"Me and a million others. Hundreds of millions."

"Hundreds of…Miss O'Connor, are you being truthful?" Gandalf's eyebrows furrowed. She guessed what he said was Middle-earth's equivalent of 'are you pulling my leg'. Hattie didn't know what to tell him other than the truth.

"I really don't have a reason to lie."

The wizard looked at her thoughtfully, and then nodded.

"No, I suppose you do not." He sighed and shook his head, "Let us review. This Tolkien gentleman knew of our world and wrote of its events into a book with such detail that you, a simple reader of them, know intimately of our past and present. You and _millions_ of others."

"Past. Present. And future. All the way to the Fourth Age." Hattie corrected before she could think to stop herself. She glanced around her, expecting a fourth wall or something to come down right on her. Nothing happened, but Gandalf looked to be dealing with his own crisis.

"The… _Forth_ Age?"

Hattie shrugged, figuring since the cat was already out of the bag she might as well chase it.

"Yeah. How do you think I recognized the others? It's because I know about them. About the Battle of the Five Armies, the Fellowship, the Ring and…stuff." Hattie faltered, not wanting to give away something she shouldn't.

Gandalf's expression became dark as he gave Hattie a look full of meaning.

"So, are you telling me you have intimate knowledge of this quest to Mount Doom? Beyond the treachery of Saruman? Speak plainly and reveal nothing Miss O'Connor." He warned.

Hattie thought about this for a moment. Did she really remember the story? Well, not every detail, but the more she thought about it the more easily it came to her. The Shire, Rivendell, Helm's Deep, Minas Tirith…

"Yes." She nodded after a minute, sounding more confident that she felt. Gandalf sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Miss O'Connor, this is very troubling to hear."

Hattie snorted, startling Wolf from his nap beside her.

"You buy that I'm from another world but a little future vision is what freaks you out?"

 _Okay, that was a little sarcastic. Was that sarcasm? Do I even do sarcasm? Right now I think I'm just being snippy. I'll work on it._

"Miss O'Connor," Gandalf reproached, "I merely wish to clarify. So, please, if you would apply just a modicum of seriousness to this situation, this wizard would deeply appreciate it."

Gandalf looked back to the book in her hands with a kind of reverence.

"So then you, and these millions of others, have read of our past and present and…future. Why?"

Hattie took a moment to reflect. Something from the dim shadows of her memory came to her, and she grabbed it wholeheartedly.

"I liked the stories. They're fantastic. They're indescribable. Books helped me feel less lonely I guess. With elves, dragons, wizards, and magic it was nice to think the world had so much more to it than…" Hattie felt herself blushing and stopped. She supposed it was something that was really personal to her. Not that she felt she was ashamed of being a bookworm. But maybe it had something to do with the fact she couldn't really recall anyone outside of her grandparents or father. And even them she couldn't remember with any kind of clarity, not like she could the books. Did that make her a bad person, or simply one who didn't care enough?

Hattie shifted on her rock uncomfortably. Gandalf was looking at her, his eyes flashing knowingly.

"Now I see why it is so difficult for you to accept your situation. You think that this is not real. That I am not real."

Hattie shrugged, not denying it.

"Try seeing it from my perspective. You're _fiction_ to me, and I mean that in the nicest of ways possible. I'm probably in some hospital right now in a coma and dreaming all this up."

 _At least I hope so. I could just be lying on the ground in the woods bleeding out to death._

Hattie shuddered at the image.

 _Cheery Hattie. Real cheery._

Honestly Hattie didn't really know what she wanted this to be. A dream? A mental breakdown? A vivid hallucination brought on by reading too many fantasy books? Truthfully she didn't want any of it. She wanted to be home. She wanted to be with loved ones. She wanted to remember both.

"Perhaps." Mused Gandalf. "Or, perhaps you must face facts and accept your new reality. Does the stone you sit upon not seem real? Is my voice an apparition? The food and wind mere figments of your imagination?"

Hattie didn't really have anything to say that could refute what the wizard said. Certainly the bacon she ate was sitting in her belly like a stone, that felt real enough. Still, she was feeling very contrary.

"Anything can feel real in a dream." Hattie muttered as she crossed her arms stubbornly. She knew it was only a matter of time until she came to accept that the impossible happened. But she was still waiting for some kind or rhyme or reason _why_ the impossible happened.

Gandalf didn't give her any confidence as he raised his eyes to the darkening sky as if to ask for the patience to endure her.

"In my many lifetimes, I have seen many things. Heard of many things. Of the possibility of another realm, another world…well, I am more open minded. Though I had believed they worked in parallel to one another, at least in the shape of time." Gandalf spoke, but as he continued Hattie realized he was more or less monologuing to himself. He even stood up, pacing left to right.

"I suppose now there are possibly many _times_ and many _places_. Each within their own ignorance in believing they are alone. But they are not. Small threads of different realities, tied together. Some realms we can see in the stars of our skies. Some exist only in our minds when we dream. And some, the rare few…intertwine. Myths in one are histories in another. Little insignificances that connect and can be grasped. Perhaps manipulated."

Hattie felt like she was in physics class. It went over her head. She was more of the 'if I can touch it, it's real' kind. Digging in the dirt for artifacts, actual proof, something she could hold and feel. What Gandalf spoke of sounded all like fantastical nonsense. But…it was the only kind of sense, nonsensical or otherwise, she had been offered since arriving in this damn forest. Until she could disprove it, she supposed she would go along with it.

"Are you saying I crossed over into your world when I had my accident?"

Gandalf's eyes took a moment to focus themselves back onto Hattie, as if he had forgotten she was there.

"Or you were forced over."

"How?"

Gandalf reflected for a moment, then paced on.

"You were weak, hurt. You were crying out you say? Well, it is possible someone here heard you. Your world has knowledge of us and our history while we have been left in ignorance of yours. It is quite an unbalanced flow of knowledge. And the order of all we know, no matter where we are from, depends on balance. In your weakened state it might have only taken a small, if extraordinary, amount of power to bring you here. A power that branded you…"

 _Branded? Is he talking about the tattoo? Come to think of it, the elf said something about it earlier…_

Hattie shook her head and focused on the more pressing matter.

"What kind of power?"

Gandalf shook his head heavily, dismissing her question, "There are too many possibilities to consider. But it would explain your loss of memories. Such a journey would leave one with some effects. However it is interesting that you are speaking in the Common Tongue and yet cannot read it..."

Hattie frowned. It all seemed too unbelievable. Her memory loss, her knowledge, and yet, why? Why was she brought over? Why her and not a million other people? All she did was read some books! What made her so special?

 _'_ _Nothing. It was simply a matter of convenience…'_

Hattie glanced down. Wolf was looking up at her, and she could almost see a forlornness in his amber eyes. She had to look away.

Maybe…maybe it was just because she was convenient. She was the one crying out, she was the one with the knowledge, and she was at the wrong place at the right time. She wasn't special, she wasn't some chosen one. Wrong place, right time, expendable girl. That is…if she was to accept all of this. She could keep on denying it as long as she wanted to. But as evening came and Hattie began to shiver from the cold, she realized that she would have to accept it. This place was real. Every leaf, every shadow.

It was a terrible wake up call.

 _Don't' throw up, don't throw up, don't throw up, don't throw up, don't throw up…_

"You are struggling, I can see that." Gandalf observed, his voice becoming soft, "But please, Miss O'Connor, if I can give you any advice: this, all of this, is no mere story. Not anymore."

Hattie was beginning to feel light headed again. She took in a few concentrated breaths until it passed, and then snorted a laugh.

"We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams." She quoted absently, patting Wolf's head.

"Is that from your Tolkien?" Asked Gandalf.

"No. Willy Wonka."

Hattie took another deep breath to fortify herself, then looked back to the wizard.

"So, what are we going to do? How am I going to get home?" She could only imagine the wizard wanted her out of the story as much as she did. She was a liability at best. Even if some 'power' brought her here, who really wanted to hear the end of a story before it even had started? It made no sense.

"Do?" The wizard scoffed, "The only thing that can be done. It is no mere coincidence that you have been guided to us. And it is no mere coincidence that a woman of your knowledge has come to us in our time of need. Whatever power brought you here had a purpose to your finding the Fellowship. That much is clear and I shall not question it. You shall remain with us until we discover what that purpose is. Though, of course, the others must know nothing about this Tolkien or your world. It would only cause alarm."

Hattie felt a spike of anger go through her.

"So then you plan on _using_ me? For spoilers? I'm not telling you the end of the story, so you can forget it."

Hattie clenched her fists in anger. She was not about to allow coincidence be an excuse to use her. She was not a part of this story, but she cared enough that she didn't want to ruin it, especially at the expense of herself. She just wanted to go home and nothing else. She had been lost in the woods long enough. Wasn't Gandalf supposed to be a good guy? Shouldn't he want to help her get out of here? She wanted shout at the wizard! He wanted to use her just like he was using poor little Frodo! But her anger withered under the furious look Gandalf gave her. His height practically doubled as he came to stand before Hattie. She could practically feel a crackle in the air, like electricity. Like magic.

"Do not insult me, child. I do not expect nor wish you to do such a thing. I thought that should be clear to you by now."

Hattie glanced down at her shoes, suddenly cowed.

 _I've just made a wizard mad. I'm gonna be turned into a toad. Or a newt. God, please not a cockroach._

Gandalf, seeing her unease, sighed wearily.

"Do not fret. I aim not to abuse you or the knowledge you possess. You were brought here against your will, and I can only image how strange this world is to you even with your familiarity. But a certain…contingency, is some kind of comfort. I shall admit to that." He confessed, his anger dissipating as quickly as hers. Hattie sat quietly, thinking of anything, something she could do to get out of this.

"Can't I just turn back and head to Rivendell?" Hattie suggested after a moment, "Maybe Elrond can help me get home."

The wizard shook his head.

"Lord Elrond and his people are fleeing these shores. He has no time for guests, no matter how intriguing. Though…it is perhaps with the Lady Galadriel more answers might be found."

"No." Hattie rejected.

"Pardon?"

"I'm not going to Lothlorien."

Gandalf looked her over, wondering at her objection. He didn't know what would come _before_ Lothlorien. Moria, that squid thing, the goblins. The _Balrog!_ She'd be killed for sure before they even made it to the elven city. Hattie glanced over to the looming mountains in the distance, shuddering.

"I sense your hesitance is not because of the location itself. Might we run into trouble on the way there perhaps? Hm?" Gandalf sounded amused, but as Hattie met his eyes she could see a kind of despair in them. A fear. Of the shadow and the flame…

Gandalf, seeing her realization, raised a hand to pacify her.

"No need to tell me. I shall face my fate in its due course. As must we all. It is for the others I fear. They will need guidance in my absence."

Hattie nodded in understanding. So, Gandalf _did_ know what was in Moria. And he dreaded it. The question of how didn't really strike Hattie as all that important. He was Gandalf, of course he knew about facing the Balrog. What really got to Hattie was that she could see why now he wanted her to tag along. He knew he was going to leave soon. And like he said, some kind of contingency, some kind of backup plan, could come in handy. That she had to be the backup was what she disliked. She had only met this wizard a few hours ago, and now she was going to be his understudy? He didn't seem to mind it either. It was like she had been gift wrapped and hand delivered for him and the Fellowship.

 _But then…do I really have a choice?_

She really didn't. Not if she wanted to get out of this place alive. The Fellowship would be the safest, given that she already knew what was going to happen she could hopefully avoid the dangers that would come. Still, she felt like she was being used here. She could understand Gandalf's perspective in this but that didn't mean she agreed with it. Again though, what choice did she have? It was either go along with the wizard's schemes or become troll food.

"Let us make an accord." Spoke Gandalf, " _We_ shall escort you to Lothlorien so that you might receive aid, and in turn _you_ shall provide where you can a little… _encouragement._ "

Hattie opened her mouth to protest, but the wizard went on.

"But only if necessary, and certainly never more than a guidance to the others if, _or when_ , I no longer can be. While I am not about to look a gift horse in the mouth it does not bode well to tempt fate."

Hattie bristled at being called a 'gift horse'. But with a glance towards Wolf, _who she swore she saw give her a nod_ , Hattie sighed in defeat.

"Fine." She said reluctantly, standing up and putting a hand out for the wizard to shake. He did so with an amused smile.

"Fear not, Miss O'Connor. All shall be well."

"How do you know that?"

"I do not. But then, an old man can hope." Gandalf chuckled as he then put a hand on Hattie's shoulder. He started to guide her over to the fire, "Now, let us go to the others. I suspect they are eager for answers."

Hattie grimaced. She almost forgot all about them. Her head was still swimming from her conversation with Gandalf. She was trying to make sense of it. Had she really been brought over to to help? It seemed too cliche. Gandalf seemed to believe it though, and she just hoped he was right and that Lady Galadriel could help her get home. Her thoughts were a thousand miles ahead of where she was when Gandalf and she stopped near the circle of others gathered around the fire.

"Everyone, Miss O'Connor and I thank you for your patience. We had much to discuss." He smiled. The others stood up, each eyeing Hattie suspiciously.

"Who is she Gandalf? Friend or foe?" Asked Gimli, his voice gruff and unwelcoming.

"She is one who seeks to help us. She is a…" Gandalf hesitated, glancing down to Hattie trying to find the right word, "a seer."

"A see-er? See-er of what?"

"Of the future Pip." Sighed one of the hobbits.

"Oh! That could be useful. She must have really good eyes."

"Very useful indeed." Agreed Gandalf before going on to lie skillfully, "But Miss O'Connor, like many of her kind, is not blessed with _perfect_ vision. We can expect no more of her than the occasional direction. She had a vision in her homeland of our quest and has taken a very long journey to find us. She and her canine companion wish to be of aid, and I have accepted the offer."

Hattie really didn't know what to make of the looks everyone was now giving her and her dog. Some were curious, others suspicious, and quite a few were dazzled. She herself was still caught up in her own world of confusion. She tried to focus on the here and now as Aragorn stepped closer to her and Gandalf.

"Are you certain that is wise Gandalf? She is quite young and our journey takes us on a long, dangerous road." He said with a gesture to Hattie. Before the wizard could give an answer, Hattie spoke for herself finally.

"Hey, I found you guys. And I faced a troll already so, there."

"A _troll?_ " Gawked one of the hobbits. Hattie caught the schooling look from Gandalf, and shrugged.

"Alright, so I hid from it."

"Can she defend herself or not then? I see no weapon on her. Do you expect us to take on the responsibility of protecting her _and_ the hobbits?" Boromir came up to protest. Hattie tried not to take it personally, he just seemed to be worried. But it wasn't as if she was going to fling herself into danger the first chance she got. She was about to speak up on her behalf, when Gandalf beat her to it.

"She does not plan to inconvenience anyone. As she has said she already is aware of the dangers and knows how to avoid them. We should be so lucky as herself if we ever come across such a creature." He said, going with the troll story even though it seemed to Hattie that he didn't really believe her. The others settled themselves to be content with this answer. They didn't seem quite certain what to make her still, when Aragorn broke the silence.

"If you are vouching for her old friend, then may I be the first to welcome her." The dark haired man came up to Hattie, bowing his head and placing a hand on his heart in greeting.

"I am Strider, though you already seem to know me as Aragon."

Hattie could feel herself gushing, suddenly becoming a little star struck. She snapped herself out of it and tried to curtsy.

"It's a pleasure. I mean honor. I mean…hi."

"If I may inquire, I have not seen garments of this kind before." The Strider continued, fixing her hiking shoes with a particular look, "Pray, where is your homeland?"

Hattie guessed he was just trying to make casual conversation, but the question caught her completely off guard.

"The…North?" She lied, glancing towards Gandalf for his approval. He gave her a nod.

"The North?"

"The _far_ North." She stressed.

"I see." Frowned Aragorn, clearly sensing her lie but not wanting to press.

"If introductions must occur, allow me to preside. It will go much quicker." Gandalf spoke up, probably to avoid more awkward questions for Hattie, "Strider you know, and this is Boromir, the Steward-Prince of Gondor."

Hattie turned to the reddish haired man. He was just as tall as Aragorn, but stood with more regal confidence. He was dressed in finer leather and red cloth, clearly of nobility. On his face was a forming beard, and his nose and jaw were very pronounced. Boromir looked to her, but did not bow or smile.

"Gimli, son of Gloin." Gandalf went on, and the dwarf nodded his head to Hattie. She nodded back. Gandalf pointed to the hobbits next.

"The hobbits; Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took, Meriadoc Branybuck, and Frodo Baggins."

At their names being called, each of the hobbits smiled. Hattie actually cheered up a little.

 _So cute!_

"Welcome Miss O'Connor!" One of them, Merry she thought, said.

 _So damn cute!_

There was only one person left, and as the elf came forward for his introduction, Hattie lost her cheer.

"And of course, you have already met Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood." Spoke Gandalf with finality. The elf lowered his head briefly to Hattie.

"Forgive me, my lady, for my suspicion of you when first meeting. I thought you a spy who had been trailing us. I see now you had good intentions."

He looked down at her expectantly, but Hattie was scowling.

"Not forgiven." The elf flinched in surprise, but before he could speak, Hattie growled at him.

"You crept up on me when I was naked! Elf eyes my ass!" She seethed, " _Not_ forgiven. And to think you were my third favorite elf."

Hattie didn't know if the look that came over the elf was offended or annoyed, but she didn't care. If it wasn't for him she'd still be pleasantly lost in the woods. Also, she was still rather ticked off at the whole seeing her naked thing. Of all the Fellowship members to see that it just _had_ to be the elf. Hattie probably was in the wrong not to accept his apology, which seemed sincere enough, but she wanted to be mad at someone who couldn't turn her into a toad.

"Ha! The lass has won me over. This company could use a little pluck." Gimli laughed. Gandalf cleared his throat, giving Hattie a warning look.

"Yes, well, it seems the day has left us. We shall bed here for the night."

Gandalf left her side to go towards the fire. Slowly the others did as he suggested, going to their packs and taking out their blankets and bed rolls. Hattie just stood there, still struggling with the image before her. The Fellowship. Was this really happening? This morning she only hoped that she would make it out of these woods and get to a hospital. Now she hoped that she would live long enough to reach a city of elves. This just...this just didn't happen to people.

With no where or one to turn, Hattie glanced down at Wolf. That knowing look in his eyes annoyed her.

 _You lead me to them, didn't you? You knew this would happen._

 _'_ _Yes.'_ The voice admitted, and Hattie frowned.

 _Bad dog. No more bacon for you._

 **~:o:0:o:~**

I've found it a little vexing myself that OCs summoned for their knowledge of the story take to being used in that way a little too easily. I wanted Hattie to be reluctant, but I hope Gandalf didn't come off as manipulative. He often makes choices for the good of all that hurt a few, like with Frodo. As for Hattie's and Legolas's rocky start, well, I will admit I am a sucker for that kind of cliché. Her dislike won't last too long though, don't fear. Until next time!


	5. Chocolate Helps Making Friends Easy

**Chapter 5; Chocolate Helps Making Friends Easy: **

_**Side note:**_ I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It is a little slow, but what with Hattie getting to know the Fellowship members it should be entertaining in its own right. Also, I think as the action and story picks up the chapters will become a little longer. I doubt many of you will object, but just a heads up. Onwards and enjoy!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Hattie, despite her situation, had her first good night's sleep. Something about the soft crackle of a fire, its warmth, and the snores of others lulled her into comfort. She wasn't alone. With Wolf beside her, she went to sleep the moment she wrapped herself in her blanket. Some part of Hattie wondered if she could really trust these strangers, but she did. These were people she had read about a hundred times, heroes she had admired. If she couldn't trust them, who could she?

Which is why in the early morning when she awoke, her feeling of apprehension was made all the worse. Aragorn was on watch, feeding the fire while the others still slept. Hattie watched him, her mind going over all that she and Gandalf had discussed. She had nothing to disprove anything he said despite how much she wished she could. Somehow, someway, she had crossed worlds. Had crossed from fact to fiction. She was in Middle-earth. And she had no idea how it happened. Sure, Gandalf spouted a lot of this and that about different realms and them being manipulated. With time to sink in she half bought it, but still her mind rebelled to accept it. She wasn't trying to be obstinate, not now, but it felt like she would be crossing the line into insanity if she accepted it.

So…that left her where then? Hoping that she would make it to see the Lady Galadriel for her to get home she guessed. But that involved going through Moria. Goblins. The Balrog. Gandalf falling…

No. She couldn't do it. She couldn't. She just wouldn't be able to. Hattie felt the panic in her begin like a cluster of spark plugs in her chest. Her thoughts accelerated.

What did Gandalf expect her to do? She dropped into this world six days ago and now she was expected to go along with the Fellowship, act as their personal tour guide? She was just a bookworm with a faulty memory. Who was she to meddle with the lives of others? And what could she really do? Her deal with Gandalf was that she would help until Lothlorien. The only event she could change before that time that had any significance was Gandalf's fall. But that needed to happen so he could come back as Gandalf the White. No. No, there was nothing she could do. If she _did_ something, anything, it could set off the wrong change of events. It could mess something up badly. Better if she did nothing. With that thinking, essentially she was off the hook. If she could make it to Lothlorien and not screw up then she and the story would be alright.

 _Okay, okay good. Just don't screw up and it will turn out alright. It will be alright…_

Still _why_ did this happen? Why did some 'power' summon her? Was she really expected to do something? Gandalf said that her being here was proof enough that someone wanted something from her. But that was ridiculous. She read some books. How could she change what was written? It didn't matter anyway. She decided she would do nothing to change the events. She would get to Lothlorien, and she would go home and the story would finish the way it was supposed to.

But…what if Lady Galadriel couldn't help her? Gandalf didn't seem to have all the answers and he was one of the most powerful characters in this world. If he was leaving he couldn't help her. And if Lady Galadriel couldn't help her, then she was stuck in this world. Stuck forever. No way to go back to her mother, her father, her grandmother, her grandfather…no way to remember them ever, just the emptiness where they should be in her mind…

Hattie sat up, startling Wolf awake. Aragorn glanced over to her curiously, but quickly went back to staring at the fire. Hattie wanted her thoughts to slow down so she could breathe. Her heart hammered inside her chest, its fast rhythm pounding in her head. Hattie put her head between her knees. Everything was spinning again. Spinning so fast, an edge of blackness creeping in the corner of her eyes. She concentrated on her breathing, but it did little good. She was on the edge of a full breakdown. She felt like screaming but her voice was too weak.

 _'_ _I'm here.'_

Hattie looked to Wolf. She was still annoyed with him. But when that soft voice spoke in her mind she felt like crying. He was a good dog. She didn't care why he was suddenly speaking to her or what he had to do with any of this. Wolf was her dog and he loved her. She wrapped her arms around him and he licked her face. Slowly, Hattie forced herself to calm down.

 _What choice do I have anyway? I just have to hope I'll get out of here. That or I'll soon wake up from this dream…_

"Good boy. I forgive you. You can have bacon again." Hattie whispered to her dog as she scratched his ears. Wolf smiled at her, giving her that goofy look all dogs had.

The others woke up soon after the dawn. The hobbits looked miserable, their curly hair wild and eyes bleary. Hattie could sympathize. Of course Legolas looked perfect, not a hair out of place, and Hattie felt her aggravation for the elf increase.

 _Like a goddamn L'Oréal model._

Everyone set themselves to their tasks. They took care of their own packs, but Sam got to boiling some water for tea. It looked like sliced bread and cheese for breakfast, the hobbit going to the horse – Bill, Hattie remembered – for it. He laid it on a rock and everyone helped themselves. Hattie went to freshen and change into her clean shirt behind a rock first. When done she came over to sit closer to the fire after helping herself to a slice of bread and cheese. So strange, seeing them in the flesh. If Hattie had to decided, she would say that the actors in the trilogy were pretty close in appearance to the actual characters. Boromir's hair was definitely red, Aragorn was a bit tanner, and the hobbits looked younger. Legolas also had a longer face, but all in all Hattie thought Peter Jackson did a good job.

It was just Hattie and the hobbits by the fire, eating and whispering to one another. She noticed they were glancing towards her, one of them pointing. Hattie frowned, wondering if she should just sit somewhere else, when one of the hobbits came over.

"Good morning Miss Seer." Said a hobbit of shady blonde hair and hazel blue eyes, obviously Sam. Hattie grimaced at the title.

"It's Hattie. Just Hattie." She told him.

"W-would you like some tea?"

Hattie nodded absently.

"I'd love some, thank you."

Sam moved away to the fire. He poured hot water from a kettle into a cup, but he was glancing over to the other hobbits. They were all looking at him and Hattie eagerly, as if expecting something to happen. Sam came over, holding out the cup to her nervously.

"Here you are Miss Hattie."

Hattie smiled. She was about to tell him that there was no need to call her a Miss, but decided against it.

 _I like it. It's kind of cute._

"Thank you, Sam." She said, and she saw the hobbit react to his name. Hattie took a sip, trying not to swallow any of the tea leaves. It was good. Well, not really. But it was warm and it had flavor. Hattie was about to take another sip when she noticed Sam was still standing in front of her. He was shuffling from one big foot to the other.

"Miss Hattie?" He asked, not daring to meet her eye.

"Yes, Sam?"

"Could you, that is, if you do not mind...I was, we were, wondering if you could...um..." Sam struggled to say, and he turned to look to the other hobbits. One of them, Pippin she guessed by his thin features, groaned.

"Spit it out Sam!"

"Well why don't you ask her since you're so keen!" Sam turned to whisper back to them.

"No! You lost at straws, you have to ask!" Merry answered back, and Sam turned to face a very amused Hattie with a pout.

 _I have no idea what is going on here, but I don't care. It's so adorable._

"Miss Hattie, if you would please tell us what it was like to see a troll. P-please." He stuttered. Hattie's brows knitted in confusion.

"A...troll?"

The other hobbits stood up and came over, crowding by Sam. She was overwhelmed by their wide eyes and the small points of their ears. Unable to help herself she looked down to stare at their large, hairy feet. They didn't even look all that calloused, how did they not get blisters?

"Yes, please Miss Hattie." Spoke Sam, bringing Hattie's attention back to their faces. "Mr. Bilbo had told us all about his encounters with the beasts but sometimes his tales are too tall for us little folk to believe."

"Have you heard of Mr. Bilbo?" Merry asked, but before Hattie could get a word in edgewise Pippin answered.

"Of course she has heard of Mr. Bilbo. She's a see-er! She's heard of everybody."

"I don't think that's isn't how it works Pippin."

"I'm sorry," Interrupted Hattie before an argument broke out. "You guys want to know about the troll? Why?"

"Because Miss Hattie, we've never seen one." Answered Frodo, astonishing Hattie with his startling blue eyes.

"Was it horrible Miss?" Asked Pippin.

"Yes." She answered simple, still not certain what was going on.

"Was it huge?"

"Yes."

"Was it debating to cook you over a spit or squash you into jelly?"

"No...I don't think it had the capacity to talk." Hattie frowned, and Pippin turned to Merry.

"See, I knew he was making that part up."

"Well, maybe there are many kinds of trolls." Debated Sam, "Ones that do talk and ones that don't."

"Were you scared Miss Hattie?" Frodo asked, looking intent on hearing her answer.

"I was horrified. I thought it was going to eat me." Hattie shuddered at the memory. But when she looked to the hobbits and saw them pale, she knew she shouldn't have said anything. They had already been through a lot because of the Ring Wraiths chasing after them. They probably expected some story like Mr. Bilbo's, exciting yet happy in ending. Hattie wasn't any good at stretching the truth though, but she knew she needed to say something.

 _Bad Hattie. No scaring the hobbits._

"It, uh, it didn't eat me. Obviously. I stayed low to the ground and hid. It came right up to me but it couldn't see me in the dark." She rushed to say. The hobbits seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"That must have been a close one Miss." Gaped Pippin. Hattie shrugged.

"Well, you know that they say: The closer you are to danger the..."

The hobbits leaned in a little, curious at why she stopped.

"Yes Miss Hattie?"

Hattie froze. She had come _really_ close to saying a quote from _The Two Towers_. She believed it was actually Pippin himself who said it, though not in the books. It was one of her favorites, but it was better to be safe than sorry. The butterfly effect was called that for a reason. She would need to learn to keep her mouth shut, but right now the hobbits were expecting something from her, so she cleared her throat.

"The closer you are to danger, the...um, the supplemental distance for unlikelihood of injury increases."

Pippin frowned, giving her a funny look.

"Do people really say that?"

"Oh, all the time." Hattie smiled nervously. Merry smiled back.

"Well, that's...uh, interesting?"

Hattie resisted sighing. This was going to be a lot harder than she thought. She needed to be aware of everything she said and did from this point on. It actually might be beneficial if she didn't talk to the others much. She probably would end up saying something stupid. But then, who could resist the temptation? This was the Fellowship after all. Maybe by the end of this she could get them all to sign her book?

 _No, no. This is no time to fangirl. I swear here and now, not to fangirl._

That promise was immediately tested when Pippin sat himself beside Hattie on her rock.

"Miss Hattie, if I may ask, are you a big folk or a little folk?" He asked with such seriousness, but Hattie was momentarily distracted by his accent.

"A what?"

"A big folk or little folk. Like elves are big folk. Humans are big folk. Hobbits are little folk. Dwarves are inbetween folk mostly." Pipping explained, gesturing to Legolas, Boromir, and Gimli respectively, "Which one are you? You seem a little folk, though a big little folk."

"Pip!" Chided Merry.

"What? She's nary taller than Master Gimli!"

Hattie nearly laughed. It was true. Gimli was a little taller than four feet she guessed, but she knew she was only four feet ten inches. For a human she was pretty short. She was certainly taller than the hobbits and Gimli, but when it came to the others she barely reached their shoulders.

"I guess I am a big little folk." Hattie reflected, "I'm human though, that's for sure. At least, last time I checked I was."

"See, I told you." Pippin smirked to the others. Merry and Sam groaned, but Frodo was giving Hattie a knowing smile for his friends' antics. Hattie wondered how many more times the poor hobbit would smile. He had already been through so much with the Ring Wraiths chasing him and Weathertop, but things would only get worse.

"Well, Miss Hattie, it is nice to have another little folk with us, even if you are a big one. Big folks are always in a rush. Never have time for second breakfast." Merry griped, drawing Hattie's attention back onto the others.

"Or afternoon tea." Said Sam with a sad nod.

"Or third supper." Chimed in Pippin. Hattie smirked, catching on.

"Or that snack just before midnight."

A round of smiles went about the hobbits. Merry in particular was giving Hattie a broad grin.

"Ah! She thinks like a hobbit. I like her."

"She has a hobbity name too." Added Pippin, " _Hattie_. Haateee. Yes, a very little folk name."

"And lovely."

Hattie, despite herself, felt her cheeks go red.

 _Too damn cute!_

"I'm glad you approve." She smiled. It seemed one of the hobbits was about to speak up again, but just then Gandalf had walked over. He doused the smoldering ashes of the fire with the rest of the water from the kettle.

"Come, hurry up." He charged, "We must make up today what was lost by stopping for our guest."

"See Miss Hattie? Big folk are all the same." Merry whispered to Hattie, rolling his eyes. Hattie had to stifle a laugh. She had always liked the hobbits, although Mr. Bilbo had been her favorites in the books. Their round and jovial faces were adorable in the movies. But more than that they were the characters that went through a lot more change in comparison to the others. They had lived a life of absolute peace and quiet before suddenly being thrown into danger. If anything she could sympathize with them even more now.

Everyone went to their packs and were getting ready to head out. Hattie debated whether or not if she should try to reason with Gandalf one more time about her heading to Rivendell instead. She didn't really want to go with the Fellowship. She felt like if she put on her backpacks, it would be like strapping on a deep sea suit. Except instead of a pleasant dive she was jumping into a tank filled with starving sharks. It was just too much.

She looked around for Wolf, but she noticed that he wasn't near. Sometime during her conversation with the hobbits he must have wandered off.

"Wolf? Wolf!" Hattie called out, but all she got was a few looks from the others. Gandalf was talking with everyone expect for the hobbits, who were packing up things on Bill. Hattie briefly wondered if they were talking about her. She was becoming paranoid, but then, she was in Middle-earth. She could afford to be paranoid. It seemed they were just seconds away from heading out, but Hattie was definitely not leaving without Wolf. Digging into her bag, she found the whistle in one of the pockets.

Turning to the woods, she took a deep breath, and blew.

Immediately she heard shouting behind her.

 _"Daro! La!"_ (Stop! Please!)

Hattie flinched and turned quickly. She panicked, thinking they were being attacked, but all she saw was Legolas on his knees. His face was twisted in pain, his hands pressed to his ears.

 _"Legolas, mani naa raeg?"_ (Legolas, what is wrong?) Aragorn kneeled down beside him, but the elf was already recovering. And he was glaring at Hattie. Everyone then turned to her, looking apprehensive.

 _"_ _Tanya hlón!"_ (That sound!) Legolas accused. Hattie stood, dumbfounded, as Gandalf marched his way over to her. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he spoke.

"Miss O'Connor! What are you doing to the poor elf?"

"What? Nothing! I'm calling for Wolf." She held her hands up to show she wasn't up to anything, but Gandalf's eyes flashed to the whistle. Hattie held it forward for him to see, absolutely confused by what was going on. Legolas was now coming over, looking _really_ ticked off. She could feel her heart racing faster with every step he took.

"It's a dog whistle. Its sound is at a frequency humans can't hear, but dogs can and they -" She started to explain when she heard a rustle behind her. Rushing to her side came Wolf, ears perked and tail wagging.

"See?" She glanced back to the others, smiling. Gandalf looked from her, to Wolf, and then back to the whistle. He then looked to Legolas curiously, then smiled.

"Dog whistle? Hm." It seemed to Hattie the wizard was trying to contain a laugh when he turned to walk away, "I suggest Miss O'Connor you do not use it around our elf friend again."

Hattie gasped and turned to Legolas. The whistle had hurt him? Her eyes went to his pointed ears. She supposed in a way that made sense. Elves did have superior senses, but she didn't know they could hear as well as dogs, let alone that a dog whistle could bring one to their _knees_. Hattie reached a hand up to her lips, trying to suppress the sound that threatened to come out. Guess elves did have at least one flaw after all.

 _Oh, god. Whatever you do, do not laugh at the elven prince. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh…_

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it worked on elves. Where I come from there aren't any." Hattie struggled to say without giggling. She really should be more sensitive about hurting him like that, as it did look painful. Still, it felt like karma being served. He _did_ point an arrow and see her naked. Legolas however wasn't seeing it like that. He was frowning at her, but even with that sour expression he still looked unearthly handsome.

 _"Ron p_ _alan kambe ala_ _tarnë_ _i edanea."_ (They probably could not stand the humans.) He muttered as he too turned and walked away. Hattie stood there for a moment, trying to recover. Even Wolf was giving her a look like she had done something wrong. Hattie promised to feel guilty later. Right now she was going to take advantage of her good mood and grab her packs to follow the others. If she did it quickly then maybe she could make it without having another panic.

She and Wolf put themselves near to Bill the Pony and Sam in the back, not really knowing where else to go. Boromir and Aragorn both kept sending her suspicious looks, and Legolas was still rubbing his ears. Gandalf and Gimli seemed alright by her, or at least unconcerned, but she felt the hobbits were the only ones who were willing enough to be friendly to her. She gulped as they started walking. They were following a path she could barely see, but apparently the others walked it confidently. They went for a while in single file until the undergrowth opened up and allowed for them to walk side by side.

 _Am I really doing this?_

Hattie sighed to herself.

It looked like she was.

Hattie kept walking, just concentrating on one foot in front of the other. It wasn't long though after the path widened that someone slowed down to walk next to Hattie. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, trying not to stare at the dwarven warrior. He was looking at her too, though less discreetly. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke to her.

"Lass, you wouldn't be happen to have another of those _dog whistles_ , hm?" He asked, his voice brusk with a slight accent.

"Only the one." Hattie answered, confused by the question.

"Ah, pity. Seems a very effective weapon." The dwarf frowned, sending a glare the elf's way. Now Hattie got it. It was so strange, seeing one of the greatest friendships of all time still just a petty rivalry. She wondered though if the events of the Hobbit movies where accurate here. Probably be best not to mention it, especially the part about Legolas locking up Gimli's father.

"Let me introduce myself proper. Gimli, son of Gloin, at your service." He continued, giving her a slight bow of his head. Hattie had to resist smiling like an idiot. Something that took a lot of effort.

 _So cute._

"Hattie. Hattie O'Connor, daughter of...someone named O'Connor." Hattie introduced, grimacing at herself.

"So, Miss O'Connor-"

"Oh, Hattie is just fine." She interrupted. The dwarf nodded.

"Very well, Miss Hattie. I am curious to know of this place far North where they have not heard of elves. Tell me of it. Might there be dwarves there?"

Hattie blanched. She had expected this. Of course they would want to know where she came from. Given the backstory Gandalf gave her she'd be interested in herself. A seer who had a vision and came to help them in their time of need? Of course they would be curious. So, logically, she needed to make herself uninteresting to avoid giving herself away. Aragorn was already on to her because of her lie about being from up North. If she kept it simple, then there would be no way for her to be caught up in another.

"No, unfortunately. Just humans I'm afraid." Hattie replied with a shrug. Gimli frowned in disappointment, but then Hattie continued.

"So, uh, by the way...where are we headed?"

The dwarf's impressively bushy eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Don't you know lass?"

"Not really." She laughed nervously, cursing her inability to lie. She had an idea anyway, but she just wanted a confirmation. Hattie liked to work from facts, not guesses.

"We make for the Redhorn Pass below the slopes of Caradhas. A dangerous path to take."

"Hm." Nodded Hattie. Alright, so everything was as she thought. They must have left Rivendell just before she came, and now they were headed to the mountain. Oh, joy. She was just in time to enjoy climbing it only to then face a snowstorm and just climb back down to head to Moria. And from there the real fun would start.

 _Aha! Now that's sarcasm._

"Why take such a road when below sits the safe passage of Moria? That I'd like to know." Gimli muttered, as if he could read Hattie's thoughts. Not really wanting to discuss that dreadful place, Hattie tried to think of some other topic for them to talk about instead.

"Um…that's nice."

"What is lass?"

"Your axe. It's a fine weapon." Hattie smiled as she pointed at it, trying to sound friendly. But the dwarf's mustache twitched.

"Nice? _Fine_?"

"…yes." Hattie hesitated to answer. She immediately regretted it when Gimli lifted his weapon from his side. Its sharpened edge gleamed in the morning sun menacingly.

"This weapon is as far from nice and fine as the sun is from cold and dim! This, is a weapon of true warriors! A work of art, forged in fire and finest metal." He growled with pride. Hattie swallowed nervously. Apparently a dwarf's axe was a very sensitive subject. Gimli went on, and Hattie slowly started to distance herself from him.

"It is as sharp as a hawk's eye and cuts as fast as the beat of its wing. I have split skulls and hacked bellies with this and it has yet to go dull or fail me. And you call it 'nice' and 'fine'?"

"…uh…yes?"

"Ahahahaha!" Gimli suddenly burst into laughter, causing everyone in the group to turn and look back at the pair of them. Gandalf in particular looked concerned, as if he suspected Hattie of torturing yet another Fellowship member. But the dwarf was grinning as he lowered his axe back to his side.

"I jest with you lass, thank you for the compliment. You have a good eye for weapons."

"Ha…ha…" Hattie laughed in absolute mortification as she walked a little faster to place herself nearer the other hobbits walking in front of them.

 _Dear god! I'm not going to make it to Moria!_

At that point, Hattie decided it would be best if she avoided saying anything to anyone from now on. She'd just be as invisible as possible and hope that now one else had any questions for her. Wolf wandered off a few times, but after her talk with Gimli she had him stay by her side. The others seemed to be a bit nervous of him still, but Hattie saw that as a good thing. If they didn't want to get to close to Wolf, then they wouldn't have the chance to get too close to her. It was better this way. For some reason this line of thought felt familiar. She briefly wondered if this was something she had done back at home. Distancing herself from others so as not to even give them the chance to get to know her? Maybe she had a reason to, or maybe, she just liked being a recluse.

 _Or maybe I all needed was what I had. Wolf, my grandparents, my studies, and a few good books. But now I have lost all but one of those things…_

Hattie didn't want to let the sad thoughts get a chance to settle, so she turned to her bag. Now that her mission in mind had changed she wanted to review her supplies. Shifting them so she carried them on her front, she dug through as she kept walking.

Passport and wallet – Useless until she got back home. She tucked them away into a deeper pocket. She still kept her volunteer badge on her person though. It brought her comfort, and on the ever increasing chance she might get killed at least her body could be identified.

 _Stop that. Everything's going to be...fine..._

One field notebook – Hattie had already read through it. She was pleased to see that she was a stickler for details, but her handwriting at times could be so messy not even she could tell what she had wrote. Perhaps she might start writing again, logging what happened to her. There were still so many things Gandalf said that ran through her mind, so maybe if she wrote them down they would slow just enough for her to make sense of them. It would probably be good for her too. To vent out all she was feeling without fear of someone giving her an odd look or spoiling some important plot point. Besides, when all of this was over she was going to need some kind of proof of what had happened to her. Of course, whether she would want to remember all of this or not once she got home was up for debate. Either way, it would give her something to do.

Hattie decided she would start writing once they stopped for the day. But as it was not even noon yet, Hattie kept going through her bag.

One plush case filled with pencils and pens – Good. Still useful.

One flashlight – The batteries were still going strong after her several nights in the woods. How much power they had left though was a question she couldn't answer. She promised herself she would save it until she was actually in Moria. She would really need it then.

One expensive looking camera – It was nothing more than dead weight now, but she didn't want to get rid of it. If she - when she - got back, maybe she could get someone to fix it for her. She'd keep for as long as she could.

Inhaler – ...huh. Hattie had forgotten about this. She looked at the prescription and it was definitely for her. It even had a few hundred puffs left so she must have just received it not too long ago. But since first finding it she hadn't used it once or felt the need to. Maybe it had been for a chest cold that wouldn't go away? Hattie didn't know, but she was starting to suspect something really odd was going on.

 _Besides the elves and trolls I mean. But then, how could things possibly get any stranger?_

Hattie glanced around her, worried if she had just jinxed herself. Wolf gave her a knowing look, but other than that things seemed to be alright. _For now_. She went back to looking at her bag.

Hair brush with hair ties wrapped around its handle – Good.

Red bandana – It was a little blood stained but still good. However, she might want to avoid wearing it. It would be like painting a big red target on her for orcs to find if she did. Oh, god, was she really going to need to start thinking like this?

First aid kit – Good. But she prayed to whatever deity that had played this sick joke on her that she wouldn't ever have to use it again.

Two chocolate bars – Yum. Actually, Hattie was feeling rather peckish. It seemed to her the company wouldn't be stopping until they made for camp in the evening. She didn't have any more of those protein bars to munch on though. Just one nibble couldn't hurt, and she could use the comfort only something sweet and pure delishous could give her.

Hattie ripped back the wrapping by only a fraction when suddenly one of the hobbits perked up in front of her.

"What's that?" Pippin stilled, putting his nose up in the air. Merry paused to look to his cousin.

"What's what?"

"That smell! It's…sweet."

Hattie stopped behind them, suddenly aware of the power that was a hobbit's nose. She tried to hide the candy bar in her pocket, but it was already too late. The hobbits had turned and were looking right at her hands.

"Miss Hattie? What do you have there?" Their heads tilted curiously. Hattie, not really planning on sharing, tried her hand once more at lying.

"What do I have where? Oh, nothing. Look at that. We're being left behind." She tried to deflect. Though it was true. With Merry and Pippin stopped, Frodo stopped as well, blocking the path for Hattie, Gimli, and Sam with his pony. The others carried on, seemingly not noticing the lag. But none of the hobbits budged.

"What is _that?_ " Pippin pointed directly to the candy bar and Hattie sighed. She had been caught.

 _Damn._

"It's chocolate." She explained airly, as if it wasn't at all important. Merry's nose wrinkled curiously.

"Chalk-o-late?"

" _Chocolate_." She stressed. "It's a candy we have where I'm from. It's…rich and sweet. It's like dessert."

Merry and Pippin glanced at one another, and from behind her Hattie could hear Sam shuffle closer. She should have just said it was medicine or something. She really was a terrible liar.

"It smells good, though it does not look all that appetizing." Pippin summed up as he continued to look at the wrapper eagerly.

"Do you…do you guys want some?" Hattie asked reluctantly. It wasn't that she was selfish - _okay, maybe a little_ \- but there was a limited supply of sweets and Hattie had hoped to stretch it to survive to Lothlorien. She didn't really want to give up one of her chocolate bars. Who knew when next she'd be able to have any? But then, who could really say no to hobbits? Still, she found herself hoping they would be the ones to say no only to be disappointed.

"Oh, only if you don't mind sharing, Miss Hattie." Smiled Merry, charming her. Hattie started to break the bar apart, hoping to get this over with quickly.

"Here. One piece each. I don't have much." She didn't dare mention she had another bar. Snapping pieces off she handed them to Merry and Pippin first, who didn't swallow them down immediately like she expected. Instead they continued to sniff at it tentatively, inspecting its color and texture quite methodically. She handed a piece to Sam, and to her surprise, Gimli asked for one as well.

"If the hobbits be willing to try it, then I shall as well." Was the only explanation he gave Hattie. She smiled at the dwarf before turning to the last hobbit.

"Frodo? Want a piece?"

He considered it, frowning at the dark brown square, and then nodded.

"Thank you Miss Hattie." Frodo took it from her gently and bit into it. Immediately his face lit up and Hattie had to suppress that idiot grin again.

"I have never! This is, it's, I…!" Pippin gasped when he finally took a bite. Merry was grinning ear to ear next to him.

"This is very good Miss Hattie. Its made Pippin speechless!"

"I've never tasted anything like it!" Agreed Sam, turning to Frodo, "Isn't good Mr. Frodo?"

Frodo was about to say something, but Gimli beat him to it.

"It's a bit too sweet for my taste."He huffed, but Hattie noticed his piece was all gone and he was eyeing the rest of Sam's. She was considering taking out her Gummybears just to see how they would react to them, when someone cleared their throat . Everyone turned and looked to see Gandalf had finally noticed a few members of the Fellowship lagging behind.

"Miss O'Connor?" He asked, looking very exasperated, "What _are_ you doing now?"

Hattie glanced around her, surrounded by hobbits and a dwarf who suddenly looked guilty. Aragorn and Boromir looked somewhat amused, but Legolas's expression was unreadable except for a quirked brow. She shrugged, holding what little was left of the candy bar towards the wizard.

"It's chocolate. Do you guys want some too?" She offered. She had to wonder though if Legolas even could have chocolate. If the dog whistle had hurt him maybe chocolate might make him sick? _No_. An elven prince was not a dog.

Gandalf merely shook his head, and gave Hattie a chastising look.

"Come. No more delays. We still have a lot of ground to cover."

The others turned and marched on, the hobbits begrudgingly following. Hattie quickly stuffed what was left of the candy bar back inside her pack. She and Wolf started to follow the others again, but not before she muttered under her breath.

"Big folks."

From beside her Merry laughed and gave her a knowing look. Hattie felt herself grinning, but then shook her head.

 _What happened to keeping a low profile?_

Hattie sighed to herself. This was going to be harder than she thought. She wasn't here to make friends and neither was the Fellowship. From now on she needed to distance herself if she was to leave the story unaffected. Besides, what made her think any of them liked her anyway? She was merely an interesting stranger, but when the danger started they would ignore her. They had to. She swore she would become like a block of ice. She really needed to start taking this serious. Lives were on the line, including hers. _Especially_ hers. Their fates were sealed, hers not so much, but she doubted it would be to anyone's benefit if she threw a wrench into the works. She would try her best to stay silent and stay invisible. Some small voice inside her made her feel like that was something she was really good at. Well, it was time to become an expert.

Still, _if_ she had been sent for, didn't that mean someone somewhere expected her to to _something?_ Anything?

 _Well, they are going to be disappointed._ Hattie decided firmly before pushing away her thoughts on the matter.

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Tell me I am not the only one who ever wondered what would happen if an elf ever came across a dog whistle or something that made a high frequency sound? These are the questions that haunt my nights. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Tune in next week to see Hattie nearly drown and talk about her love life (or lack thereof) to a bunch of bachelors!


	6. I'm a Fan of Stranger Things

**Chapter 6; I'm a Fan of Stranger Things:**

 _ **Side note:**_ WOW! Over fifty favorites and a hundred followers! And we're not even to chapter ten yet! Honestly, I am grateful for each one of you, as well as the lovelies that reviewed. I am wondering if you all would like for me to respond individually via PM or during this side note brief, but I would hate to bother anyone who didn't want either or something. Please review this chapter with your thoughts on this if you can, I would appreciate it! Please, enjoy!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

 _Hattie was falling, falling, and when she finally landed she felt more pain than she ever had in her life. Her bones were shattered, her blood seeping into her hair, her clothes. She could feel tears streaming down her cheeks, clouding her vision._

 _"Please…please I don't want to die." She cried out._

 _And then, a voice in the darkness. One that made her tremble._

 _"Little one…"_

 _"Who's there?"_

 _"Little one, why do you cry?"_

Hattie opened her eyes and shot up. She was on the ground, but the pain was gone. She had her blanket wrapped tightly around her, and she could see the embers of a fire dying before her. Her blood rushed, her breath ragged and panicked.

 _Where am I?_

Glancing around wildly, she saw the hobbits lying next to one another and Aragorn leaning against a tree. Each of the members were asleep, the dawn still far away. A rush of memory came back to Hattie as she recalled her situation. A sickly dread weighed in her stomach and she lowered her head into her hands.

Her dream shook her to her core. Why? It was just a dream. It wasn't real. Still, Hattie felt herself beginning to shiver, though not of the cold. She bit her lip, trying to calm her racing heart. When she heard movement next to her, she expected to see Wolf. Instead, she jumped in surprise to see Legolas kneeling beside her.

"Miss O'Connor, are you well?" He asked in a low whisper. Hattie hadn't even heard him approach. Had she woken him? Oh, god, what if she had been talking in her sleep? No, she remembered it had been his turn to take watch, and calmed.

"No." She sighed miserably, running a hand through her hair to push the tangled strands back into place. Legolas watched the motion, frowning at the sheen of sweat at her brow. Hattie shook her head and tried to smile.

"I mean yes. Just…just a bad dream."

She moved to stand up, and Legolas rose with her. The obvious height difference between them forced Hattie to crane her neck back to meet his eyes.

"Is there a river or something nearby? A pond?" Hattie whispered, not wanting to wake the others. She felt gross, and since the others would not wake until dawn it seemed she had some time to revive herself. Legolas gestured past the clearing they had settled in for the night.

"A hundred paces East. There is a little brook. Why?"

"I'm going to freshen up. Just because I'm traveling with a bunch of men doesn't mean I want to smell like one." She then pointed a finger up at the elf and hissed in warning, "And don't you dare follow."

Any concern the elf had for Hattie was quickly replaced with irritation. In that moment Hattie had to wonder how canon the Hobbit trilogy was, because Legolas looked _exactly_ like Thranduil in that moment. Or at least, the actor who portrayed Thranduil in those films. She tried to hide the grin that came with the thought as Legolas turned away from her. He retreated to a moss covered boulder, sitting with one knee propped as he inspected his bow.

Hattie went over to her bags, grabbing her washing supplies. A sensation of guilt came over her. She was still upset about their initial meeting, but she had accepted it happened because Legolas had believed her to be a spy rather than anything creepy. And to be fair he _did_ apologize after. Besides, did she really want to have a grudge against one of the most perfect and deadly characters in the stories? If she wanted to get out of this world unscathed she couldn't afford to make friends _or_ enemies.

Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she glanced around for Wolf. Spotting him near that same boulder Legolas had perched himself on, Hattie took it as a hint. Quietly she stepped around the hobbits and made her way over.

"Look, I…I do forgive you for before." She mumbled hesitantly, bringing the elf's attention onto her, "You were just being cautious and I'm just being stubborn. Things have just been complicated for me lately, _really complicated_ , and I wanted to blame someone."

Glancing up to meet his eyes, Hattie tried to convey her sincerity. She had just wanted to be mad at someone, a face she could name, rather than some sick cosmic force she couldn't identify. Summoning a smile Hattie hoped looked genuine, she turned away from Legolas's unreadable expression. He hadn't said anything, but they were even now as far as she was concerned. Actually, maybe later if she could have another moment alone with him she wanted to ask about the Elvish he had seen written on her back. No doubt it was another clue about what had happened to her, but right now she was still feeling a little overwhelmed from her dream.

 _I'm more of a 'one crisis at a time' girl I guess._

Signaling for Wolf to follow, the two of them stomped a hundred paces through the undergrowth. Hattie actually had to go a hundred and _twenty_ paces before she found the brook.

 _Guess that was elf in paces. Do they all have such damn long legs?_

Hattie distracted herself with idle thoughts as she stripped off her top layers. She scrubbed the vital areas she could reach, namely face, neck, and armpits. This would be the best she could do for now, but it was enough to get rid of the sweat. She was in the process of debating whether to wash her hair or not, when Wolf caught her attention. He had been chasing the falling leaves when suddenly he stood alert.

"What is it boy?"

 _'Something is approaching…'_

Hattie's eyes searched the span of the woods. She saw nothing, but Wolf's hackles were raised. Remembering the books, she recalled that there were spies that followed the Fellowship before they reached Lothlorien. Maybe it was those crows? The Crebain? Hattie didn't know, but she trusted Wolf's senses enough to know something was up. Wolf turned to her as if knowing her thoughts.

 _'Let us return to the others.'_

Hattie nodded and braided her hair before hurrying to dress herself.

"You know, I'm not so sure how comfortable I am with you using complete sentences. Can't you just bark or wag your tail like old times?" She asked, but Wolf didn't seem to be talking anymore. The two of them hurried back to the group just as the sun came over the horizon. Hattie ate with them and packed her belongings, all the while wondering if she should tell Gandalf of what Wolf had told her. But then he would ask her _how_ she knew and she highly doubted Gandalf would accept that her dog told her.

 _Besides, I promised not to interfere with the story. No spoilers._

Hattie decided to keep quiet. The Fellowship members, with the exception of the hobbits, were skilled warriors. They could handle anything. Plus, there was Legolas's elf senses. They would spot whatever it was soon enough or it would go away. And was she really going to start accepting that she could talk to her dog? That just seemed a step too far over the line of instantly she was already balancing on.

 _Right, like being transported to a fictional world isn't enough to tip the scales?_

"Apple, blackberry, cherry, blueberry, custard, raspberry, strawberry, peach, boysenberry, rhubarb, bumbleberry, gooseberry, elderberry, huckleberry, thimbleberry–"

"Pippin? What are you doing?" Hattie heard Merry interrupt. She was walking along with the hobbits and Bill the pony in the back of the group again. They were always talking or complaining, but Hattie liked listening in. It was good to be surrounded by the buzz of conversation even if she didn't join in.

"I'm listing my favorite kinds of pies." Explained Pippin, causing Merry to groan.

"Well stop. I'm hungry."

"That's why I'm listing them." He sighed longingly, "Oh, I miss a good pie. Jam packed with filling with a flaky crust."

The hobbit lengthened his stride until he was beside Hattie, looking up at her imploringly.

"Miss Hattie? Do you have any more of that 'chalk-o-late'?"

"Nope. All out." She lied, not daring to meet his eyes. Hattie should feel guilty for lying to a hobbit, but she was not about to hand out her last bar of candy. Pippin's disappointment nearly broke her, but thankfully Merry moved the conversation forward.

"You know, I miss a smoke of old Toby." All the hobbits sighed collectively.

"A pint of ale." Another pipped up.

"Fresh bread from the oven."

"Fuzzy slippers." Hattie added absently.

"Roast ham."

"A swept hearth."

"A warm bed with down feathers."

"Home. I miss…home." Said Frodo in a voice so quiet and so hopeless the other hobbits froze. Hattie felt uncomfortable with the silence. The light hearted conversation had taken a sharp turn to homesickness, and Hattie tried to think of something to say before she felt that ache again. It was Sam who picked up the slack though, almost whispering as he spoke.

"I miss the smell of fresh cut grass and spring flowers. Rosie passing out the finest ale, her bright smile lighten' up the room. With–"

"With ribbons in her hair, dancing away with as dainty a steps as daisies!" The other hobbits finished for him, obviously having heard it before. They were just teasing, but Sam looked down at his hairy little feet and blushed several shades of red.

"Now, now. Be nice." Hattie chided the others, putting a hand on Sam's shoulders, "She sound's lovely."

"That she is…" The hobbit sighed, retreating into his memories of a certain beautiful blonde and a green Shire. At least everyone was smiling again, and Hattie was glad of it. The hobbits chatted about this and that, and unconsciously Hattie took mental notes. Just little things, little details of this world she had grown up reading about. Like Pippin's favorite color was blue, Frodo knew a lot about elvish ways because of Bilbo, and Sam loved butterflies because they helped grow gardens. They were happy distractions.

The conversation halted though when the members ahead of them began to slow down. Hattie tried to peer around them but had no luck. She did hear a rush of water though, and could guess what was happening.

"Why have we stopped?" Sam asked, but the other hobbits only shrugged their shoulders. From ahead, Gandalf turned to address the group.

"We have come to a river. The current is far too strong for the hobbits. They shall need to be carried across." He announced, and started to move towards the hobbits. Hattie frowned, racking her brain.

"Funny. I don't remember this part." She mumbled. Merry turned to look up at her.

"Remember what Miss Hattie?"

"Uh…"

Hattie supposed it didn't matter. While Tolkien was a bit of a prose for the details, she doubted he had written every single event that happened on the quest. Of course, this didn't comfort Hattie. In fact, she felt worried. Her knowledge was only the extent of the books and movies. If there were events she didn't know about, then their outcomes she couldn't predict. And if she couldn't predict, how the hell was she supposed to avoid danger?

"Come, come." Gandalf ushered the hobbits towards the others. Aragorn took Pippin up upon his shoulders while Legolas helped Merry. Sam and Frodo were loaded onto Bill and Gandalf took the pony's reins. In a line they waded into the water, the fast current going up to their waists. Gimli ventured by himself, refusing the help Boromir offered, holding his axe over his head which was the only thing above the water.

Watching Boromir go next, Hattie decided there was nothing she could do but follow.

"Wolf, up." She patted her lap, and with a leap Wolf jumped into her arms. She staggered at the force and nearly dropped him.

"Oh, god! What have you been eating?"

Wolf wasn't answering, but his look was unamused. Holding onto him, Hattie waded herself into the water. It was cold and felt odd with her fully dressed. She had to lean against the current with all her weight but was forced to walk at a diagonal just to move forward. Wolf squirmed a little, but settled himself about halfway across the river. Hattie hoped her shoes wouldn't get ruined because of this.

When she took a blind step forward, Hattie suddenly felt the river's rocky bottom give out underneath her.

"Eep!" In one second gravity took hold, and Hattie went under. The weight of Wolf pinned her down for a moment as the cold water surrounded her, but then her grip was lost and Wolf was swept away. Hattie too felt herself being moved by the current, and for an agonizing moment she couldn't reach the surface. Her hands reached out to grab something, and when another hand found hers she clutched to it desperately.

"Are you alright?" Boromir asked her when she broke the surface. He pulled her to him and held her as she sputtered and choked. Hattie took a moment to find her breath before she started to panic.

"Where's Wolf?!" She searched franticly. When she spotted Wolf a little ways downstream but paddling towards shore, she relaxed.

"Your hound is fine. He actually seems to be less sodden than you are at the moment." Boromir answered, sounding a little amused, "Might I assist you across?"

Hattie looked down at herself. Everything was soaked. It felt wrong and very uncomfortable.

"I don't think it makes much of a difference now." She sighed. Boromir gave her a helpless look.

"Is that a yes or no?"

Hattie was about to say no to the chivalrous gesture, but seeing Gimli slip and suffer the same as her and rescued by Gandalf, she nodded.

"Yes. Please. I'm begging. But don't pick me up all damsel like, okay? Nothing personal, I just have to have some dignity left."

"You are a strange one." She heard Boromir mutter. He wrapped his arm around her waist and started to steer her to the shore. By the time they reached it Hattie was already shivering. The wind, a gentle breeze before, now was an icy chill against her skin.

"Miss Hattie, why are you all wet?" Pippin tilted his head curiously as he looked Hattie over. Letting go of her rescuer, Hattie shrugged.

"Oh, you know. Reasons." Wolf joined her side, shaking himself and causing the others to step back a bit. Hattie shrugged off and looked her backpack, delighted to find it was mostly dry inside. Taking out her wool blanket she wrapped herself to help keep off the chill.

"I fear we may be stopping early this evening to light a fire unless we want Miss O'Connor to shiver to death." Said Gandalf as he summed up Hattie, Wolf, and Gimli in all their drenched and shivering glory. He probably only named her for fear of insulting the dwarf, but Hattie shook her head in protest.

"I'm okay." She tried to smile, but it was snarled as she suddenly sneezed. Legolas, who was near to her, fairly jumped out of his skin like he had never heard such a sound before.

"On second thought, I'm really not okay." Hattie sniffled. She better not catch a cold because of this!

Gandalf raised his eyes to the sky and turned to walk on. Still, Hattie was grateful to notice that he slowed the pace of the group. Gimli and her were a miserable pair, shivering and teeth chattering. Of course, Gimli swore he was right as rain and that he only slipped because the elf tripped him. This, of course, caused Legolas to protest to such a ridiculous accusation. Hattie, not wanting to get involved in a tiff between the dwarf and elf, she retreated back to the hobbits.

She bundled herself tighter in her blanket, hating the sound of water sloshing in her boots. Wolf padded alongside her, his thick fur coat already shaken dry.

"Here Miss Hattie." Spoke Sam, seeing Hattie's uncontrollable shivers, "If you want to, you can ride Bill for a while. He won't mind none."

"It's okay Sam. Nothing a full night's sleep won't cure." Hattie then muttered to herself lowly, "Or heavy medication."

The hobbit looked confused at this, but shrugged and walked on. He had taken control of the pony after crossing the river, always the one to lead him. Wanting a chance to break the silence and think of something other than how cold she was, Hattie carried on the conversation.

"How about you? How are you doing Sam?"

The hobbit took a moment to answer, and then shrugged. "Well enough Miss. Be better for the moment when this is quest is over."

"Ditto." Hattie laughed. The hobbit frowned.

"Did what?"

"Nothing. I just feel the same."

"Oh, I see." He replied, still looking a little confused. Bill the pony then took it upon himself to add to the conversation, and rose his head to snort. Hattie flinched away from the animal a little.

"Don't be alarmed Miss Hattie. Bill here is just saying hello." Sam comforted. Hattie gave the hobbit a smile, and relaxed, but still was hesitant. She had her horse phase like most girls did, but she never really got the opportunity to be next to one. And even though Bill was just a pony, he was the biggest horse Hattie had ever seen.

"You can pet him, he won't mind." Sam added, taking her cautious watch of the pony's mouth as a desire to touch the animal. Not wanting to offend the hobbit, Hattie hesitantly reached out and patted the animal's neck. It was warm and soft, and she found herself smiling. Hattie snapped her hand back when the animal shook its head a little though, and Sam chuckled.

"He can nearly talk, he can. And would talk if he stayed in Rivendell much longer. He gave me a look as plain as Pippin could speak it: if you don't let me go with you, Sam, I'll follow you on my own."

The look on his face was so adorable, Hattie had to hold herself back from pinching it. A hobbit and his pony. How sweet. Well, maybe the pony wasn't so bad. Lightened their load, certainly. And heck, at times it was the only one of the party that didn't look depressed. Even Sam lost his smile after a minute as he sighed, and looked down the path ahead.

"Bill, you oughtn't to have took up with us. You could have stayed here and ate the best of hay till the new grass comes."

To Hattie, it seemed like he was talking more to himself than the pony. Her heart leapt out to the hobbit.

 _Oh, Sam. Sam, oh, Sam, oh, Sam. Trust me…it gets a lot worse._

Evening came after a few horribly long hours. Gandalf kept his promise to stop early and everyone went to their tasks. Hattie stood by and watched, feeling useless. She knew she wasn't a part of the Fellowship and didn't want to be. But still she was eating their food and sharing their fire. She should do _something_ to help. Abandoning her packs by Wolf, she looked around for an opportunity.

Seeing Boromir leave the clearing they had chosen to settle to gather firewood, she followed. She was still wrapped up in her blanket and shivering, but thankfully her hair was starting to dry.

"C-can I…can I help?" Hattie asked as she approached him hacking at a dead tree with his sword. The reddish haired man stopped and watched her as she started to pick up dried twigs on the ground. He nodded after a moment.

"My thanks."

She smiled at him in return. Between the pair of them they gathered plenty of wood. Hattie followed Boromir's lead as he went back to the clearing. He kicked away leaves and debris and formed a circle with stones. Entranced, Hattie watched as he built up some kindling. From his pack he took out a dark stone and a steel ring. Kneeling down, he struck the stone – flint, Hattie realized – with the steel to cast sparks. In seconds a flame was produced.

"AAH!" Hattie shouted, swatting her forehead. Boromir nearly dropped the flint stone as he looked to her in alarm. A few of the others paused as well, wondering what had occurred.

"What is it?"

"That's how you do it!" She exclaimed, pointing to the flames. He followed her gesture curiously.

"Do what?"

"Start a fire. God, it's so simple." Hattie laughed to herself. Five days of suffering in the woods and all because she couldn't hit a piece of metal against a rock. The others relaxed and carried on with their tasks. Boromir sighed as he took the kindling to light the center of the built up wood.

"You are a very strange woman." She heard him mutter.

"Am I? Now whatever made you think that?"

"I meant no offense." The warrior replied to her sarcastic tone as if he was talking to a child.

"Then stop saying it. I'm strange. I get it. But you don't hear me calling you a Sean Bean wannabe every other five minutes." She muttered. The moment she had been dropped into this world, everyone had been calling her that. She didn't want to make waves, but its novelty was wearing off. Back home she was perfectly normal, probably to the point of being boring!

 _I don't think that's something to be proud of actually._

Thankfully Boromir did not know he was insulted, though he did give her another odd look. Standing up, Hattie went back to her packs.

"Excuse me. I'm going to go change into something a little less damp."

Hattie went a little ways into the tree line. Wolf followed her, but even with him by her, she didn't stray too far from the sight of the fire. She still was wary from what he told her this morning. Ducking behind a tree she dug into her space saver bag. Her spare change of clothes were dry, and it was such a relief to change into warmer things. Her bra was still soaked so she had to go without. She highly doubted it would be noticed, since she was small and her clothes baggy enough to hide her chest. Still, she felt the self-conscious need to cross her arms before her chest.

Coming back over to the circle of others, Hattie set her blanket onto the ground near the fire and spread out her clothes, shoes, and a few other items to dry. None of the others did so - _a macho thing maybe?_ \- and she caught several pairs of eyes watching her. Boromir in particular was intent in his stare, almost studying her. He and Aragorn were still suspicious of her. But unlike the Ranger who was willing to trust Gandalf's judgement, Boromir kept sending her glares every now and then. She tried to ignore him, taking her hair out of its damp braid to brush out the tangles. She had a few hours before sunset, so she had a chance that things might get dry before she had to sleep.

After several minutes she noticed Boromir was still watching her. It was starting to make her uncomfortable.

 _Maybe he thinks I'm being indecent or something by showing off my ankles? These aren't exactly the most enlightened times for a woman. Oh, god, what if he can tell I'm not wearing a bra? Oh god, oh god..._

Hattie was about to call him out on it when he finally spoke up.

"Where you are from, it close to the Northern Waste yes?"

"The what?" Hattie blinked. From his positon across the fire, Hattie heard Gandalf clear his throat. Looking over she caught his subtle nod.

"Oh!" She realized, turning back to Boromir, "Yes. It is. But we don't call it that."

As quickly as she could manage it, Hattie summed up what little she knew about the Northern Wastes. They were, obviously, a land far up north that was cold and icy. It had been the home of dragons before they were made extinct, but there were a few human settlements were dotted along its border.

"Then what do you call it?" Came Boromir's inevitable question. Hattie glanced to Gandalf who seemed to be mouthing something at her, but she couldn't read his lips through the beard. She had to improvise.

"…Wisconsin." She said hesitantly. Gandalf sighed and rubbed his temples, but Hattie ignored it. She was a terrible liar! The best she could do would be to stretch the truth and pray that it was enough to keep the others from guessing the whole of it. She started to panic when Aragorn joined the conversation though.

"In all my travels I had never heard of such a place." He and the other members of the Fellowship were all settled around the fire now, waiting for Sam to start an early dinner. Hattie could hardly miss that most, if not all, of their attention was now on her. Though they pretended otherwise by sharpening their weapons or laying out their bed rolls.

"It's just a small village. We make really good cheese." Hattie shrugged, trying to play it cool. Both Boromir and Aragorn glanced to one another, the two of them onto her. Gandalf, getting a sense of their suspicion, interjected.

"Miss O'Connor's humble origins hardly matter. She had left everything in her old life behind to be of aid to the Fellowship, which is quite enough to be satisfied with in regards to her character." He stated, but this only stirred up more curiosity.

"Left everything? And your family just let you go off to journey so far to place yourself in such danger?" Boromir addressed to Hattie. The question of her family surprised her, and her look of sadness could hardly be missed by the others. Even Legolas stopped sharpening his knives to glance at her. Before Gandalf could stop Hattie, she answered.

"I'm…I'm not sure. I don't know my mother and I am not close with my father. I lived with my grandparents but they are...gone." Hattie didn't like that last word. Gone. But she knew it was true.

Her grandparents were gone, and not just because she was in another world. Something had happened to them that caused her to lose them. Hattie didn't want to know what. Not yet. It was too much at once to contend with. She felt the sting of tears but wiped them away with her sleeve. The others watched her uncomfortably now, and to her surprise, Boromir's expression softened into sympathy. He broke his harsh gaze to stare into the fire.

"I do apologize. I did not mean to stir painful memories."

Hattie shrugged, happy that he was not going to press her further on it.

"No worries. I'm grateful for any memories, painful or otherwise."

 _Even that memory of me losing my bathing suit top at the public pool in seventh grade. Good times._

"I know something of that pain." Boromir continued, meeting Hattie's eyes once more, "My brother and I had lost our mother when we were but children."

Hattie frowned. Obviously she had known this. The grief over the death of his wife was the starting point for the Ruling Steward of Gondor's madness. But it was just backstory to her. To think of Boromir as anything other than the Captain of the White Tower, let alone a child, was a strange revelation. It made him a little more…human. Well, of _course_ he was human. But Hattie was only comfortable relating to him as a _character_ , not as someone real with pain and a past. The look of understanding the two of them shared disturbed her more than she thought possible.

"So what of your husband? Surely he must have had objections." Boromir continued, but Hattie wasn't happy with this change in subject. Was this the medieval equivalent of asking if she had a boyfriend? Boromir probably was just curious rather than interested, but Hattie still found herself blushing. She opened her mouth to speak, but Merry talked over her.

"Of course he didn't. She doesn't have one. She's a _Miss_ Hattie, not a _Missus_ Hattie." He said somewhat smugly to the others.

"But surely she has a sweetheart? All pretty girls have a sweetheart." Pippin joined in, looking to Hattie strangely, "Miss Hattie, don't you have a sweetheart?"

"Um...no?" She hesitated to answer, wondering why this was so important. Her answer did not satisfy Pippin as he frowned in disapproval.

"Well why not? I mean, I know your feet are too dainty and your nose lacks character, but you _are_ pretty enough."

Unconsciously Hattie reached for her nose. Was she being criticized by a hobbit? Her self-esteem took a rather strange blow.

"Of course she's pretty enough. It's probably just the clothes she wears. They are rather mannish." Added Merry, and Pippin nodded.

"And a tad frumpy. And her hair could use-"

"Okay, we get it!" Hattie said a little louder than necessary. The hobbits quieted down but the looks she was getting from the others made her uncomfortable.

"I'm not married, alright? And I don't have a sweetheart. I was studying to become an archaeologist. I was too busy to have a social life." Hattie explained with a sigh.

She wasn't trying to make excuses for herself. It was true she couldn't remember any kind of boyfriend – or girlfriend – but she felt it didn't really matter to her. She got the feeling she had entered the dating scene once or twice. But she knew nobody really struck her fancy and she didn't want to force herself into being with someone just because everyone else was. In high school she was hormonal and changing inside and out like everyone else, and in college she was committed to her studies. But her life, the parts Hattie could remember, felt rich enough. Even with the absence of her parents, she had spent time with the people who mattered the most to her, the people who loved her the best. No one else was there for her like her grandparents were, and she doubted anyone else ever would.

"Truly? That is curious. A maid of your age." Commented Boromir idly, looking her over once more as if to find fault with her. Hattie had to laugh. She supposed in this day and age it was odd for a woman who wasn't nobility to not be married and pushing out babies by the time they were sixteen. Still, Hattie was only what? Twenty, twenty-one? She had plenty of time, provided if she didn't get killed before she got out of here.

"Well, I don't see you wearing a ring." Hattie replied snarkily, "What's your excuse? As the son of a steward isn't it expected of you to have heirs?"

"The threat of Mordor has denied many pleasures. Securing my legacy being one of them. When this quest is completed I shall find my bride." Answered Boromir simply, but Hattie became sorry she asked. She allowed the conversation to end as she tried to control the sudden gloom she felt for the steward-prince. The image of him struck down by arrows, defeated and dying flashed in her mind.

 _Enough of that. Think of puppies or something. Puppies in baskets._

As the group ate Hattie sat next to the hobbits. Sam had fried up the last of the bacon and cut up another loaf of bread. Hattie wondered how long this kind of feasting could last. She saw they had more provisions loaded on to Bill, but more than likely they would have to start living off of the woods in a few weeks. Speaking of...

"Wolf, come."

The large dog had wandered off again, but thankfully he was close enough to hear her call out. She wouldn't be able to use the whistle with Legolas around, as funny as its effect was. Wolf trotted his way over to Hattie, and she did her usual check over. His paws and coat were fine, and as far as she could tell he wasn't losing any weight. He must be hunting for himself, but unable to finish her portion of the dinner Hattie gave him the rest of her bacon just in case.

"Aw, who's a good boy?" She asked as he chomped the fried meat down in a single gulp. His tail wagged wildly at the question, and lying down before her Wolf presented his belly for a rub.

"You are! Yes, you are!" Hattie continued to coo, earning a few odd looks from the Fellowship.

"Uh, Miss Hattie? I've been meaning to ask. About your…dog." Pippin spoke up after a few minutes.

"What about him?"

"Is he hobbit friendly?" He asked, and the other hobbits glanced over, interested in the answer.

Hattie laughed. She knew her dog made a few of the others nervous, especially the hobbits. Wolf was a large dog by human standards. To a hobbit he was possibly a giant. Still, there was no reason for concern. In Hattie's experience it was always the smaller dogs that were more aggressive.

"He wouldn't hurt a fly."

Pippin frowned and folded his arms.

"We hobbits may be little folk, but we are _hardly_ flies."

"What? No. See? He's just a big goofball." Bringing her hands to Wolf's face, she played with his ears and pulled at his cheeks, making funny faces with them. Wolf didn't mind it any, and this demonstration caused the hobbits to smile. Wolf shook away after a moment, and Hattie tossed him her crust of bread. The second after he swallowed it though, Wolf looked away from Hattie.

In that same instant, Legolas glanced up from his blades. He was staring off in the same direction Wolf was, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. Wolf went as still as stone, and slowly the hairs along his back started to stand up. When he started to snarl, Hattie knew something was _very_ wrong.

"I…I-I thought you said he was friendly…" Sam stuttered when Wolf's growl grew louder and more feral. This caught the attention of the others excluding Legolas, and Hattie became concerned.

"Wolf?" She asked quietly, almost afraid to touch him.

 _'Danger.'_ Came that voice. Hattie finally looked in the direction he was pointing to.

 _What is it?_

 _'A wolf. A spy.'_

Hattie stood up in alarm. It had to be the thing Wolf sensed this morning. Her thoughts accelerated to gather facts. It was true Saruman had crows as spies, but Sauron was known to recruit wolves and other beasts as well. A certain memory hit her like a ton of bricks. When the Fellowship decided to turn back from Caradhas to head to Moria, an _entire pack_ of wolves attacked them. Of course, this wasn't shown in the movies, but that didn't comfort Hattie in the least.

"Is something wrong Miss O'Connor?" Gandalf asked, looking from her to her dog in concern. Hattie raised a hand and pointed to the dark spot in the woods Wolf was concentrating on.

"It's a spy of Sauron's."

All of the Fellowship stood up, suddenly on edge. Aragorn and Boromir reached for their weapons.

"What did you say?"

Hattie didn't have time to repeat herself. Legolas came to suddenly stand beside her and Wolf, his eyes still concentrated on the same spot as her dog. It seemed Wolf and the elf had spotted the danger in the same second, their senses the most heightened. When Legolas took an arrow from his quiver the other Fellowship members knew that Hattie was speaking the truth. Everyone went terribly quiet, and Hattie could almost imagine she could hear the crunch of undergrowth in the distance. She couldn't believe Legolas could see so far in the veil of trees, but his eyes followed _something_.

Everyone waited as Legolas notched the arrow to his bow, pulling the string back to the side of his face. Aiming, he let the arrow fly. Hattie barely followed its trajectory before it was lost in the thick woods, and seconds later a sickening 'thud' was heard. At the impact a horrible whimper was sent up into the air, ending as quickly as it began. Hattie felt a shiver run through her at the sound, horrifying her senses. When Legolas lowered his bow, the others breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are there others of its kind near?" Aragorn came closer to his elf friend to ask.

 _'Only the one.'_

"No. Just the one." Hattie answered before Legolas had a chance to. Both Aragorn and Legolas glanced down at Hattie suspiciously.

"Miss O'Connor." Gandalf came over to join them. Hattie stiffened.

"Yes? Um, sir?"

"How did you detect this creature the same instant Legolas did? I doubt it is because you have elf senses." He asked skeptically. Hattie opened her mouth to answer, but stopped herself. She couldn't tell them it was because she was talking to her dog. They thought her strange enough. Remembering that these guy believed she could predict the future, she decided to use it.

"No. I, uh, saw it? With my ability?" She answered with a grimace. From the other side of the fire she could see the others stare at her in alarm. It seemed none of them really believed in her so called powers. From under his breath, Gimli muttered a word that suspiciously sounded like 'witch'.

The wizard nodded solemnly.

"I see. And does your _ability_ sense there will be more to come?" He phrased his question very carefully. It was the first time she had been asked anything by the wizard since their little interview, and Hattie found herself hesitant to answer. She didn't want to lie, as that wouldn't help anyone. Still, she couldn't say that they would meet wolves when they were climbing back down the mountain, because that would raise too many questions.

Hattie decided to settle the matter by giving a vague, but true, answer.

"On Caradhras. There will be a pack."

The others reacted to this news about as well as to be expected. The hobbits shared frightened glances. As for Aragorn, Boromir, and Legolas, they looked at Hattie as if she had grown a second head. She couldn't tell if they were impressed or not, but Gandalf looked weary as he weighed the importance of this news.

"Very well Miss O'Connor. Thank you."

Hattie nodded, uncomfortable that her statement was being taken so seriously. She wasn't certain if anyone in the Fellowship trusted her outside of Gandalf, but they seemed to believe in Gandalf's faith in her so called ability. If anything, this little demonstration now showed them that she wasn't entirely useless. Maybe now Aragorn and Boromir would get off of her back. But then, a part of her felt guilty.

Turning from the others, Hattie glanced back out to the woods. Sure, the wolf had been a spy for Sauron and it wasn't like it was she who killed it. And even if she hadn't been the first to notice it, Legolas would have anyway. Still...it felt like because of _her_ there was a creature out there dying right now. Alone, bleeding out...the darkness sinking in as the world disappeared...

 _"Little one, why do you cry?"_

She shuddered, knowing all too well _exactly_ what that felt like. Noticing Legolas beside her and scanning the woods still, she summoned her courage.

"Did it suffer?"

Legolas's eyes lost their sharp focus as he turned to face her.

"Pardon?" He asked, not understanding her question. Hattie nodded to the spot in the woods his arrow flew to.

"The wolf."

The elf's brows furrowed in confusion. Or perhaps he was scowling.

"Does it matter?"

Hattie inadvertently flinched. He sounded rather callous about having just killed something. Yes, he was a hardened warrior, and yes, it had been one of the enemy. And yet Hattie could not shake away the heavy weight on her shoulders as she looked to the woods once more.

"It just...it sounded like it was in pain." She said quietly. Legolas tilted his head to one side curiously, glancing her over as if she had suddenly become more interesting.

"My aim was true. The arrow struck its heart and in one beat it was dead."

 _Yeesh._

Hattie's frown deepened at the imagery, her hand unconsciously reaching out to pet Wolf. Was Legolas trying to comfort her or make her all squeamish? Hattie shook her head sadly.

"Poor thing." She muttered under her breath. With his elf senses Legolas heard her of course. His eyes, the color of rain, met hers. She was surprised to see a small smile light his face.

 _"Cormlle naa poica."_ He said amusingly, _"Lle naa varya naitië..."_ (Your heart is pure. You are strange indeed...)

"Huh?" Sounded Hattie, not understanding a single word he said. It was probably about her since he was looking straight at her, but she didn't like the tone he took. If he was teasing her then she would have no idea. This thought wasn't assuaged when Legolas turned away from her to join beside Aragorn. Hattie didn't know what to think of the exchange between them, but decided to put it from her mind when Merry called out to her.

"Miss Hattie! The tea is ready."

"Thank you Merry."

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Well, how was that? The road for Hattie and Legolas has smoothed itself (for now). In the next chapter we get our first scene from the movies and Hattie learns how to throw an axe! Of course, it doesn't go all that well when she nearly hits a certain elf by accident...


	7. This Place is Making Me Axe-asperated

**Chapter 7; This Place is Making Me Axe-asperated:**

 ** _Site note:_** So in this chapter we finally get a scene we recognize from the movies. So, spoilers. I have stated that I wanted to go more from the books, but I could not resist this scene from the movie, as I feel its important because we actually get to see the hobbits learning to fight. Plus, its just too cute! Anyway, I'm not going back on my word, but I am mixing things up from both sources. I just hope I don't cause Tolkien to roll in his grave...

 **~:o:0:o:~**

A week and a half had passed after the incident with the wolf spy. At Gandalf's insistence, the Fellowship picked up their pace. They walked from dawn to dust, forgoing warm meals sometimes. The hobbits were miserable. Hattie did not mind it so much, even though she was just as exhausted as they were at the end of the day. Things had grown quiet for them all, and even the hobbits couldn't summon the energy for conversation or jokes. More often than not they would lay out their bed rolls and sleep the moment the sun went down. Sam found an extra bed roll for Hattie to use latched onto Bill. Most likely it had been packed for Aragorn or Legolas, but being the hearty Ranger and perfect elf that they were, they didn't use it. Hattie didn't mind accepting it, and since neither of them asked for it back she assumed it was hers for keeps.

The forest the Fellowship traveled through slowly gave way to rocky and barren hills over the next few days. The vivid green grass was the only foliage to be seen for miles, winds tearing across the heaths to make the blades bend and wave like a sea. With little to stop it, the wind it fairly ripped through them till it chilled their bones. But there were only thin clouds hanging above them, and without the shade of trees the sun shined all the warmer. These were the foothills around the mountains of Moria, Caradhras being one of three which it was built under. Hattie thought it one of the most beautiful place she had ever been.

 _Well. Definitely in the top ten. Amnesia leaves a lot of room for doubt._

It was such a relief to be out of the woods, if only for a change of scenery. Once they had cleared the forest, Gandalf allowed for the company to slow down. Without the thickness of the trees, Legolas could see for miles in any direction for the approach of enemies. Hattie wondered if elf eyes were really that sharp, but she was happy that they were stopping to make time for warm meals again.

Back at their regular pace, the Fellowship seemed to fall into their routines before Hattie showed up. Every evening Aragorn and Boromir took it up to train the hobbits to use the knives they had been gifted in Rivendell. They were not at all good at it, but even Hattie could see they were making slow progress. As for Hattie herself, she fell into helping Sam cook the evening meal and loading and unloading Bill the pony. Hattie would even take turns with the hobbit to lead the pony. The large animal didn't mind her any, and she was happy to see the horse was calm around Wolf.

After his detection of the spy, the Fellowship seemed to relax about Wolf as well as Hattie. Before some would always cast uneasy glances towards them both, but now Hattie would catch one or two of the hobbits petting Wolf once in a while. As for Wolf he kept mostly to Hattie's side, though he seemed to like walking beside Gandalf for some reason. The wizard never seemed to mind it, but this consequently forced Hattie from the back of the line to the front to keep her dog from misbehaving. This wasn't so bad, even though she liked to talk with the hobbits who usually remained in the back.

"For the last time. The pattern is called plaid. The material is flannel." Hattie explained, becoming slightly exasperated. Today the wind was gone, and Hattie took advantage of it to put her jacket and jumper away. This, of course, exposed her flannel shirt. At the sight of its 'strange and peculiar pattern' to quote, Boromir could not help but ask about it. She had spent the last couple of minutes prattling about the shirt – and that yes, women wore trousers where she came from and it was _not_ 'unseemly'– but she had no one to blame but herself for letting it go on for this long.

"Pah-lad." Struggled Boromir.

 _"Plaid."_

Boromir gave up with a shake of his head.

"And so its pattern holds significance to your people?"

"Yes." Hattie laughed, "From afar, people can see from my plaid shirt, skinny pants, and my love of indie music that I am a hipster."

 _It's time I faced facts. Acknowledging a problem is the first step to solving it anyway._

"I see." Said Boromir, but he clearly did not understand a single word she said. Hattie was just teasing him anyway. She knew she had promised Gandalf not to reveal she was from another world, but when anyone asked her questions she had to tell the truth. Or at least stretch it. Besides, they'd sooner think her crazy than from another world, and she wouldn't blame them.

"And your people, these Hip-stirs, they are all seers like yourself?" Boromir went on to ask, surprising Hattie with the change in subject. She played it off with a nervous laugh.

"Well, I think I had a relative that believed she was Marie Antoinette's reincarnation on my mother's side. But no, other than that I think I'm the only who is 'special', so to speak."

She still wasn't comfortable with being thought a seer by the others. All she did was read a few books and watch some movies. Even worse, after she told Gandalf about the wolves on Caradhras, it seemed the others finally believed she really could see their futures. Pippin kept asking her questions like 'If I had one helping now, and ate it very quickly so as to get a second, will I have bellyache or no?' until Gandalf told him and everyone that Hattie only saw things of importance or danger and didn't take requests. Her visions, so to speak, came to her and she had no control over when they did or what they showed her.

 _My powers sure are fickle. Guess I won't be winning big lotto numbers any time soon_.

"It must be a terrible burden." Boromir said, drawing Hattie's attention back onto him. His voice was heavy, as if he felt pity for her. Hattie, with or without powers, didn't feel comfortable with it.

"It's alright." She shrugged, trying to dismiss the feeling, "Besides, it's not the only thing I'm going to do. I've got plans."

"Is that so? When this quest ends then you plan on returning to your home?"

Hattie's composure fell. He, like the others besides Gandalf, assumed she was going to be with them until they chucked the Ring into Mount Doom. Of course, as soon as they got to Lothlorien, the plan was for Hattie to get home. Just at the mention of home was enough to make her want to move all the faster just to get this over with.

"Y-yeah." She struggled to lie, "I _have_ to go home. I still have a lot of schooling left if I want to be an archaeologist."

From ahead of Boromir and Hattie, Aragorn turned to look back at them.

"You have said that before. Apologies, but what is an arch-ee-ogolist?" He asked curiously. Hattie considered how to answer.

"Someone who studies ruins, old buildings, artifacts, and graves to learn about those who lived in the past." She answered simply, happy to be talking about a subject she was far more comfortable with. However, by the funny look Boromir was giving her, none of them found it as fascinating.

"Why would you ever wish to pursue such dismal things?"

Oddly, Hattie knew the answer to this question. It bubbled in her, a small passion coming back from abandoned memories.

"Because I want to know of the people who lived long ago. Because no one ever is or was unimportant. Like memories, good and bad, they left some kind of mark behind that shaped the way of things." She smiled as she talked. Boromir nodded in understanding then, though it was clear he did see the appeal himself.

"You sound like my old tutor of philosophy."

"Worse. She sounds like a wizard." Aragorn called out ahead with humor. Hattie covered her mouth before she could laugh. But Gandalf, overhearing, paused to turn.

"Then she should take it as a compliment." He said pointedly to Aragorn before giving Hattie a wink. Hattie really burst out laughing then, Aragorn and Boromir chuckling as well. This caught the attention of the others left out of the conversation.

"I guess I'm more of a…historian actually." She corrected after thinking of the right word to say. From behind her she could hear Gimli snort.

"Oh, aye. That will be useful in battle. If an orc comes at you, you can shout passages at him!" He grumbled. Hattie looked back to frown at him. Gimli had been acting a bit nasty around her lately. He kept muttering about witches and spells, treating her with the same suspicion Boromir and Aragorn had just put aside. Of course, they still called her strange and odd like she was some kind of alien. Well, perhaps she _technically_ was, but that was no reason to keep singling her out. Hattie tried not to take it personally, but with little success.

 _No wonder they say you shouldn't meet your heroes. They can be real jerks sometimes._

"The pen is mightier than the sword." She recited a little snobbishly.

"But what about an axe? Hm?" The dwarf asked, lifting his weapon for emphasis. From ahead of the group, Gandalf could be heard chuckling.

"The dwarf does have you there Miss O'Connor."

Hattie's frown deepened as Gimli smirked at her in victory. When she heard Aragorn start to laugh, she had just about had it.

"What's so funny?" Hattie asked defensively. The Strider dismissed her tone with a shrug.

"I myself find it somewhat odd that a woman who can see the future bothers to study history. Seems rather backwards."

Hattie's frustration dissipated. Against her will, she found herself chuckling too. It was rather ironic. Or, was it just contradictory? Either way, she wasn't about to let the Ranger have the last word.

"Well, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. So there." She answered back smartly, turning towards Gimli when she heard him open his mouth to speak, "Not literally!"

"That is a wise saying my lady." Spoke up Boromir beside her, "Though…perhaps not accurate to _all_ circumstances."

With this, Boromir glanced back as well, his eyes going towards Frodo. More specifically, to the Ring that was hidden under his tunic. Hattie stiffened, seeing the grey of his eyes turn a darker shade. His face, normally handsome, became twisted by a look Hattie could not exactly place.

A word came to mind though. _Coveting_.

Aragorn paused in front of them and, turning to see the expression Boromir wore, shook his head.

"The Ring must be destroyed." He said firmly, calling the Steward Prince's attention onto him. The way he said it, it sounded like the two of them had this conversation before. Hattie racked her brain, recalling details from the Council of Elrond and other scenes. Did the Ring already have a hold on Boromir? She didn't know, but the snarl he gave to the Ranger suggested he wasn't quite himself.

"And do you claim to have the strength to do it? To destroy the bane of Isildur when he could not, or shall history repeat itself?" He hissed at Aragorn, trying to rile him. The Ranger stiffened at the accusation, but managed to maintain his composure. The rest of the party had stopped to watch the exchange in worry. Hattie herself started to step away from the both of them, not wanting to be in the way if things came to blows. She went over to Wolf and Gandalf, who looked weary of the tiff already, but before he could break it Boromir went on.

"We should take the ring to my city. There it could be of help. Or would you have my people, who _you_ abandoned, suffer more–"

 _"Tiria sut lle quena."_ (Watch how you speak.) Threatened Legolas darkly. Hattie had not seen him approach Boromir, but suddenly the elf was between him and Aragorn, his eyes hard as he met the glare of Boromir unwaveringly.

"The purpose of this Fellowship is to destroy the Ring. Nothing can assuage that. Its evil must be purged from the world." Legolas insisted, and for a moment Boromir looked cowed as he broke his eyes away from the others. He seemed to be remembering himself now, but his pride caused him to harden his expression. He believed himself to be right, but knew the time for debate was over. Still, the tension between the Mirkwood Prince, the Ranger, and the Steward Prince could have been cut with a knife.

Hattie didn't know where to look or what to do. Boromir was not a bad man, but right now everyone was looking at him with suspicion as if he had suddenly become an enemy. She wanted to say something, anything, but could think of nothing.

 _That's because there's nothing you can do nothing about this._

The silence was only broken when Gandalf stepped forward. He placed a gentle hand on Boromir's shoulders, turning him down the path they had been walking along.

"Come. We only have a little ways to go until we stop for the evening. I dare say our hobbits are a little worse for wear and would appreciate an early stop."

The others followed after the wizard and Boromir, but the tension had only lessened a little. Wolf remained behind with Hattie, who went to Sam and Bill. For some reason, Hattie couldn't help but feel guilty about the whole encounter. Even though she would be leaving them behind in Lothlorien, she felt disturbed that she knew Boromir was going to die when he didn't.

That Ring was going to be the death of him…in a way. It was one thing to read about it and see it portrayed by actors. But he was an actual person, someone with hopes and plans that would never come true. Maybe...maybe if she just warned him, then maybe he might...

 _No. I have no right to change the story or fate or whatever. No waves, remember? It has to happen._

Still, the feeling of guilt did not leave Hattie. Walking alongside Sam she tried to distract herself by chatting with him, but her thoughts wouldn't rest.

It would be one thing if the Fellowship trusted her, but they didn't really. Not enough to just take her for her word without Gandalf's stamp of approval. None of them had any clue what was coming, and for a matter of fact neither did she. The books and movies obviously didn't cover every last detail, so who could blame her for not knowing everything? And even if she did, again, there was nothing she could do about it.

Still, a silly hope stayed with her. Was she really the kind of person to let someone else die simply because some book said they had to? Perhaps she might be able to do something. Maybe if she just gave Boromir a few words of encouragement, the _right_ words, something no one else really gave him, he would be alright after she left. He was a good guy after all. All the Fellowship really did was just suspect him, holding little faith. Maybe all he needed was someone to tell him he was a hero rather than a weak man before it was too late…

The thought wouldn't leave her as she walked on alongside Sam, who started to chat on about how to properly plant daisies.

 **~o0o~**

More days passed, enough that Hattie was starting to lose track. The Fellowship – and Hattie – climbed higher up the foothills of the Mountains of Moria. They kept up their usual pace, and it seemed to Hattie that the hobbits were finally getting the hang of it. Or at least they weren't complaining as much as before. She had reserved herself once more the hanging around only them, finding herself uncomfortable around anyone else.

 _Well, Boromir and Aragorn keep locking horns, Gimli thinks I'm a witch, and Legolas is too busy looking off at the horizon like some Disney Princess about to break into song. Gandalf's alright, but damn, he walks fast for someone thousands of years old!_

In truth, the hobbits were the only ones who didn't ask too many questions about her abilities or where she came from. And even when they did, they weren't skilled enough to see through Hattie's poor lies. Surrounding herself with the hobbits was Hattie's way of shielding herself from getting close to anyone else, but the hobbits didn't seem to mind being used in this way. Sam liked that she helped him with Bill, and Merry and Pippin both loved chatting at her, she willing to listen to anything the pair of them had to say – _which was a lot!_ As for Frodo, he was the most distant, but even he could not help but talk happily about Bilbo's adventures when Hattie summoned the courage to ask him.

As much as Hattie enjoyed being around the hobbits, she was somewhat reluctant about being friendly with them. Sure, she was human, and needed some fashion of company and conversation to keep herself sane. But she had this sinking feeling that if she let herself grow attached to them, _or anyone_ , then maybe she wouldn't want to leave…

 _Impossible. I mean, the hobbits are cute and the Fellowship is cool and stuff. But I'd trade them and my soul for clean clothes and some French toast._

"Miss Hattie? The sausages and mushrooms are ready if you are." Announced Sam, breaking Hattie's thoughts. The company had stopped early for the day, setting themselves up on a cluster of boulders that shared the hillside with some tall shrubs. All around them the heaths coated the hills, which were becoming steadily stonier and more barren the higher they went. But with the shelter of the higher hills the wind barely bothered them now, and so Hattie and Wolf stretched out to sun themselves on one of the boulders.

"Sounds delish." She replied lazily, putting her hands behind her head and closing her eyes. She missed the hobbit's frown.

"Pardon?"

"I'll get it myself in a minute, thank you Sam." Hattie rephrased. Sam nodded, going off to make a plate for himself. They also had a bit of bread left, but Hattie was really looking forward to the mushrooms Pippin had found the other day while walking.

 _That hobbit really has a nose._

"Miss Hattie," Another hobbit interrupted Hattie's recreation, "do you want to watch us spar?"

Lifting her head up again, Hattie squinted against the sun to see Merry and Pippin standing before her. They had their daggers in hand and, having already eaten their share of the meal, seemed to be ready for another lesson from Boromir and Aragorn. Hattie was amazed the two of them managed to get along well enough to teach the hobbits while they could barely say a kind word to each other.

"Nah." Hattie shook her head, reclining again, "I'm collecting more freckles. But you boys enjoy beating one another with sharp objects."

"The only one being beaten this day is Merry." Boasted Pippin, causing Merry to scoff.

"Ha! For a little folk you sure talk big, Pip!"

"Like you're made of the stuff of legend yourself Merry. Remember when you fought with a rabbit over a carrot, and _lost_?"

"Well that's cause it started to nibble on me and instead of the carrot." Sniffed Merry indignity.

With that, the two hobbits left Hattie to her own devices. She could hear the sting of metal clashing as the hobbits began their lesson. Frodo and Sam sat close to the action, watching and waiting for their turn. Not far off, Gandalf lit his pipe. The faint smell of the smoke took Hattie out of her state of relaxation. Sitting up she watched Gandalf, something working at the back of her mind.

Going for her leather journal in her pack, Hattie took out a pen she had tucked into her messy bun, and began to write. She remembered her grandpa had given up smoking a long time ago, but after a few beers she could remember him sneaking a drag or two. She remembered taking one once from his secret stash to try them for herself as a kid, but she only succeeded in giving herself an asthma attack…

Hattie wrote down the memories alongside her notes of Vindolanda. She had taken it upon herself to start writing down everything she remembered. Nothing was too insignificant for her to write down. More than that, she also wrote down everything that happened to her since waking up in the woods and what she remembered talking about with Gandalf. Not that she really wanted to remember all of that, but something about writing it down and logging it like she was taking class notes made it seem a little less menacing.

Besides, maybe when she made it out of this crazy world, she just might turn this nightmare into a best seller or something. Or at least hand it over to a psychologist as proof of her mental breakdown. Then she'd get the medication she would need after this little adventure.

 _No, no. Stay positive. I might only need a few weeks of therapy._

Hattie went back to her writing, but when Gimli nearby turned to speak with Gandalf, a chill ran through her.

"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not, I'd say we are taking the long way around. Gandalf," he entreated the wizard, "we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome."

From his perch, Gandalf looked down at the dwarf. The smile he wore from watching the hobbits practicing fell, and his expression became clouded.

"No Gimli, I would not take the roads through Moria unless I had no other choice." He said with a shake of his head. The dwarf huffed, and looking rather offended by the wizard's brush marched over closer to Hattie. She barely paid him any mind though, as she was about ready to scream in panic.

 _I know this! I know this part! Shit, shit, shit, shit!_

Her head whipped around, looking for that telltale black cloud. Hattie felt like such an idiot for not remembering this part, but the days had started to blend into weeks without anything recognizable happening! Grabbing her bags, she started pack them quickly, expecting Aragorn to shout at everyone to run and hide. The sky was mostly blue though, and nothing looked odd about it. Remembering it was the elven prince who spots the Crebain first, she waited for the signal from him.

Legolas was seated upon one of the higher boulders, surveying their surroundings passively. Hattie was crouching and held her packs to her chest. Wolf sensed her spike of adrenaline and watched her as carefully as she did the elf. She was ready to run and hide at the first sign of movement from the Mirkwood Prince. After a few minutes of this, apparently Legolas could not stand the feeling of being studied so closely. He turned to face Hattie, meeting her intent stare. One of his eyebrows quirked curiously, causing Hattie to flinch a little as her cheeks flushed, but she didn't want to look away.

The moment only drawed itself out awkwardly, _very_ awkwardly, until she finally broke.

 _Mental note, never challenge an elf to a staring contest._

Hattie contented herself to just watching for the Crebain herself. But after a while she started to wonder if Peter Jackson got it wrong. In the books, the Crebain came at night when Sam and Aragorn had the watch. Maybe…maybe the book actually had it right. After all, the movies did add things to the story and replaced whole events. Like Arwen taking Frodo to Rivendell rather than Glorfindel. While the female representing was nice, it left Hattie with a lot of doubt now.

 _So…I'm panicking for nothing then? Ah, what the hell, I'll panic anyway. Better paranoid than–_

"Lass, you look pale. Are you well?" Gimli asked her, causing Hattie to jump out of her skin and yelp. This earned her a few odd stares, interrupting the fencing lessons. She laughed, loudly and unconvincingly, trying to put the others at ease. Defeated, she sat herself back down on her rock.

"I'll let you know when I do." She told the now very concerned looking dwarf. Her answer hardly comforted either of them. Hattie felt her nerves were strained beyond what she could take. She was trapped between waiting for the right moment to panic and debating if that moment would ever actually come. She also debated whether she should tell Gandalf of this, but he seemed to have placed an unspoken rule between them that she should never reveal anything without him asking for her to first.

Hattie needed to calm down then. She needed a distraction. Glancing to the dwarf that had started to edge cautiously away from her, she took advantage of her knowledge.

"So, Moria...that's the only place where Mithril can be mined, isn't it?"

At the mention of Moria, Gmili paused. She could see a rare grin show through his beard.

"You know of Mithril lass?"

"Of course." She smiled, "It's like silver but harder than steel. I've always wanted to see some."

Gimli came closer, his guarded demeanor lowering a little.

"Could you tell me about it? Moria I mean." Hattie encouraged. She just really wanted to talk to anyone about anything. Moria seemed as good a topic as any. Better, because then Hattie would be a bit more prepared when the time came for them to enter it. Gimli seemed only too happy to oblige.

"It is known as Moria to most now, the Black Pit. But it was called Khazad-dûm in days of glory and of old. A catacomb of tunnels and chambers that run under the Misty Mountains. The hallowed halls are made of stone carved so smooth, marble could be put to shame. Lofty arches and soaring bridges, a citadel worthy of being the envy of all." The dwarf was monologuing, but when Legolas scoffed he paused to glare. Hattie's instinct took the opportunity to reach into her pack for her journal again. When Gimli noticed she was writing down what he had just told her, his chest puffed out a little in pride.

"An expedition led by my cousin set out to reclaim our ancestral dwelling, overrun by all manner of foul creatures. They had gutted many orcs before recovering but a part of it. They had delivered word some years ago of their conquests, though it has been some time since we have heard from them…"

Hattie nodded as she scribbled, and when she caught up with his words she looked up expecting more. But Gimli's face had fallen into apprehension as he looked towards the mountains. Hattie felt her guts twist. She could only image how much worse it would be to see when he discovered his cousin dead…

"I'm sorry." She said before she could stop herself. The dwarf looked back to her and frowned.

"Why lass?"

Hattie flinched, not knowing what to say. Thankfully Gandalf had been listening to their conversation and decided to intervene.

"Miss O'Connor. Why don't you join the hobbits in some training?"

Hattie turned on her rock to look to him, confused.

"Me? Hold a sword? No thanks." She rejected politely. Gimli looked at her in disbelief.

"Do you not know how to defend yourself?"

Hattie shrugged.

"I've never been the confrontational type. More the run and hide type." Well, that was the plan anyway. First sign of danger she planned on bolting. She wasn't a hero and wasn't going to play pretend at being one. It hadn't occurred to her to learn how to fight, not really one for violence. If she learned how to fight, then the others would expect her to take part in their battles. It might seem selfish of her, but she wanted to keep herself safe. Their safety was a bit more assured than hers. Of course, this meant she was solely relying on her ability to predict danger and then avoid it when it came. Gimli's skepticism wasn't all that difficult to understand then. If Hattie did want a fighting chance to survive this, then she probably should, well, learn _how_ to fight. An idea that made her uncomfortable.

 _Given my luck so far, I'll probably just end up accidentally stabbing myself before whatever baddie wants to and then die of embarrassment._

"Well Miss Hattie, if swords don't hold your interest, what of the axe?" The dwarf proposed in a friendly manner.

"Um..."

"Come!" He left her to go over to his pack where his weapons were, "I shall teach you the fine art of axe wielding!"

"I don't really–" Hattie tried to think of a way to politely decline, but the wizard interrupted.

"Go on, Miss O'Connor. It will do you good to learn to protect yourself."

"That's what Wolf is for." Hattie gestured to her dog, who at the wrong time had chosen to lick himself. Gandalf's brows lifted in amusement.

"Yes. Truly a fearsome creature."

Hattie rolled her eyes.

"Alright." She sighed and stood up, "But I warn you, I have very bad hand eye coordination."

Hattie stubbornly followed after the dwarf. She was putting up an obstinate front, but some part of her became excited. She didn't like the idea of being in a battle, but getting a personal lesson from one of the most iconic dwarves was rather tempting. It might be actually cool to learn how to fight with an axe and be all badass for once in her life. Merry wasn't the only one with a bunny incident story.

However, when Gimli lent her his famous axe, Hattie could barely lift it. Despite being taller than him, it would seem Hattie was not half as strong. Gimli kept encouraging her until she managed to hold it right, but she could only handle a swing or two before she ended up dropping the weapon on her foot. It was a close call, but after a few seconds of screaming her head off it turned out she had all her toes still. After that, Gimli decided they would change direction.

"A little wide lass. Try again." Gimli grunted in disappointment.

"Okay." Hattie sighed.

Gimli had suggested she learned how to handle a throwing axe, which was smaller and lighter than a battle axe. But just as she warned, Hattie couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Or in this case the fallen tree they had been chopping up for their fire. She went over to retrieve the weapon that had gone too far to the left before marching back to stand beside Gimli. He said they would start easy, and so they were only about twenty feet from her target, a large knot in the dead wood. Hattie lifted the axe above her head with both hands and chucked it forward like Gimli had showed her.

And…it fell short by about five feet, clattering against the stony ground.

"Once more. Put your weight into it." The dwarf exasperated. Probably when he offered to show her, he didn't think her this hopeless. Even the hobbits could hit whatever they aimed at. Gimli seemed about ready to give up, but Hattie's pride wouldn't let him or herself do that just yet. Again, she retrieved and threw the axe.

It spun off into the bushes.

"This time, try aiming." Gimli pinched the bridge of his nose when Hattie managed to get the axe back. The bush had been covered in thorns and left her hands and face a little scratched.

"I am!" Hattie seethed. Angry now, she lifted the axe higher and threw it with all her strength at the dead tree. It overshot it by ten feet, soaring well past her target. Frodo and Sam, who had taken to watching Hattie's attempts, both stood up and shouted.

"Legolas! Look out!"

There wasn't any need to warn the elf. He heard the axe coming long before it reached his seat on the tall boulder. In a move so fast Hattie missed it when she blinked, he ended up catching the axe that would have otherwise split his skull. Hattie knew Legolas had skill, but she couldn't help her open mouth gawking.

 _That was so cool! But I nearly killed him…but that was so cool!_

"Oh, close. Better luck next time lass." Muttered Gimli as Legolas leapt from off of his perch. He landed without a sound, and with a glare aimed at the dwarf he strode over.

"Sorry! I'm sorry, so sorry!" Hattie apologized instantly, wondering if she should bow or grovel or something. Legolas stopped before the both of them, Hattie sweating nervously and the dwarf looking a little smug.

"If you must learn weaponry, then perhaps you should learn from someone who can show you how to hit your _foe,_ rather than your ally." Legolas suggested to Hattie, though he kept his accusing stare on Gimli. The dwarf fairly bristled at the comment.

"Are you suggesting you can teach the lass how to wield an axe better than I? Hm, _elf?_ " He growled lowly, suddenly reinvested in training Hattie. Legolas arched a brow at the challenge, but finally looking over to Hattie he started to smirk. Hattie balked at the mischievous look, not liking being caught up in the middle of yet another round of elf vs dwarf. Any protest she had on the matter went flying out the window when Legolas walked around behind her.

"May I touch you?"

Hattie spun about to face him, a little shocked.

"M-may you what?"

"I wish to show you the proper stance. May I direct you in to it?" He asked for permission again. Hattie considered what this meant. She didn't like the idea of being touched, sensing she was rather big on the personal space scale. But she found herself hoping that Legolas would somehow work an elf miracle and help her learn to be competent.

Hesitantly, she nodded.

Smiling at her, Legolas lifted his hands to her shoulders and turned her back around to face the dead tree. Stepping up closer behind her, Legolas moved his hands down to her waist. Hattie jumped at the change in contact, noticing how his long fingers nearly spanned the width of her middle.

"Bend your knees some, and put your left leg forward for balance." He guided. Hattie did as she was instructed, thinking on her position rather than the warmth that spread to her stomach through Legolas's palms. She was grateful when he was satisfied with her stance and removed his hands. He pressed the axe into her right plam, showing her how to grip it with one hand. _The correct way_ , he said pointedly to the dwarf before bringing his attention back onto Hattie.

"Now, visualize your target." Legolas spoke near her ear as she suddenly became aware of how just closely his chest was pressed to her back.

"T-that's easier said than done." Hattie stuttered, feeling awkward and self-conscious blended together with a horrible mix of anxiety thrown in.

Now, Hattie wasn't one for celebrity crushes or anything. She had struggled through the books before the movies came out as a little girl. And even when she saw them she didn't really obsess over any of the characters _that_ way. That said, Hattie was a healthy woman who had a rather handsome man – _elf_ – with his arms around her. So, if she suddenly found it a lot harder to breathe no one could blame her, right?

 _Or maybe it's just my asthma coming back with a vengeance. Yeah, let's go with that._

"Now, swing your arm down to your side. As the axe passes your leg, bring it up quickly." Legolas demonstrated, wrapping his larger hand around hers on the axe. He brought it down past her leg, and then lifted it quickly up.

"When the axe is over your head, bring it down hard. When it's almost parallel to your target, release." Again, he showed her the motion. When it came to the part she was supposed to release, he stepped back, and Hattie's lungs finally remembered how to function properly.

"Now you do it." Legolas commanded, moving back with Gimli. Hattie nodded, and focused on the dead tree once more. She could feel the two of them watching her, along with her audience of Frodo, Sam, and even Gandalf. She swallowed nervously, but remembering what she had just been shown she decided to give it a go.

Keeping her stance, Hattie first swung the axe down, then brought it up. When it was over her head she brought it down quickly and released.

The axe spun throw the air and, with a metallic _thud_ , sunk into the knot of wood she had been aiming for. Hattie threw her hands up in victory, hearing a small round of applause from Frodo and Sam.

"I did it! I hit something!" She cheered, raising her hand to the elf for a high five. He glanced at it curiously, his brows quirked, but he was smiling too. Hattie lowered her hand with an awkward laugh.

"Aye lass. That you did." The dwarf admitted, scowling at Legolas's superior look. The elf started to walk away then, heading back to his perch.

"Thanks!" Hattie shouted after him, feeling very proud of herself. The elf turned and lowered his head briefly to her.

 _"Lle naa ita alatulya."_ (You are very welcome.)

"Right, well." Gimli cleared his throat, "That's enough of that for today."

He went over to retrieve his axe. Hattie, not wanting to play favorites, turned her smile towards the dwarf.

"Thank you too, Master Gimli. Maybe tomorrow I can practice again?" The dwarf nodded absently, muttering to himself about the annoyance that was elves and witches. Hattie didn't care though. For the first time a long, long time, she felt cheerful. Sure, she wasn't a skilled fighter, but her small victory gave her a bit of hope. If it was ever the case she couldn't predict her way out of danger, at least she knew now she had something of a fighting chance against it.

Promising herself that tomorrow she would practice more, and maybe even get a lesson or two with the hobbits, Hattie went back to her packs. Wolf was still reclining beside them, looking proud of her. Or maybe she was just projecting. Either way, she scratched his ears, and went about to finally serving herself a plate of sausages and mushrooms.

Grabbing a slice of bread with it, Hattie plopped herself down next to Frodo and Sam. The two of them smiled at her before going back to observe the end of Merry and Pippin's lesson. Hattie munched on her greasy meal contently, deciding to put away her panic. What was she worried about anyway? She knew the outcome of the crows showing up one way or another. Besides, she was in good hands, right? This was the Fellowship, they could handle anything.

 _Except a Balrog and a few arrows to the chest._

Hattie shook head of such thoughts, and concentrated on the sparring happening in front of her. Aragorn was sitting on a stone, smoking a pipe absently as he muttered instructions at the hobbits. Boromir was taking the two of them on, but it was clear he was not making them work very much as Merry was munching on some bread he had in hand.

 _It's exactly like that scene. Peter Jackson might not have had it perfect, but damn, he was close. I need to meet him when I get back home. I've have quite a few questions..._

Hattie, to be certain, glanced back at Legolas. She just wanted to make sure that he didn't see anything on the horizon.

He had been standing near to where Gandalf was sitting, but now stepped away from the wizard. Moving quickly, he looked past the others to the sun that was beginning to settle itself behind the high hills. His eyes were trained on something in the distance, but whatever it was Hattie could not make it out as she too squinted at the sun. But a sudden commotion turned her attention, causing her to miss Wolf perking up his ears in the same direction Legolas peered off into.

"Pippin?! Argh!" Shouted Merry as he charged Boromir, who had accidently hurt the other hobbit that was already tackling him. Boromir was laughing, but the determined hobbits managed to get him on his back. Hattie nearly chocked on her bread roll as she started to laugh along with Frodo and Sam.

"For the Shire!" With that battle cry, Merry and Pippin started to wrestle with the poor man, who by now was laughing so hard he it seemed he was having a hard time breathing. Aragorn, smiling, stood up and tried to break up the obviously unfair fight, but when the hobbits grabbed at his knees he was flipped backwards as well. Hattie would have joined the others in yet another uproar of laughter, but Wolf's growling brought her attention to him. His hackles were raised, and when she noticed he was looking towards the distant sky, she didn't need him to talk to know what he saw.

 _'Hide. Now.'_

"What is that?" Sam asked, looking off into the distance that held Legolas's and Gimli's interest. Gandalf as well lost his humor and was staring at some strange black wisp of…something.

 _Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!_

Hattie panicked as she stood herself up, causing her plate to fall off her lap and smash against the ground. This startled Frodo and Sam, but Hattie didn't care as she was already running going over to her packs.

"Nothing." Gimli said, ready to dismiss it, "Just a wisp of cloud."

Hattie rolled her eyes. She slung her packs over her shoulders, her head swiveling about for a place to hide. Frodo and Sam still watched her frantic actions, the others glued on that one dark cloud that came closer and closer with every second they delayed.

"It's moving fast, against the wind." Boromir finally observed, loosing all his mirth. This was the final clue they needed in order to see what Hattie already knew. Legolas was the one to shout out the alarm.

"Crebain, from Dunland!"

"Hide!" Aragorn ordered.

Hattie was already on it. She had chosen a bush not to far from where she was and was dashing madly for it. The others were getting rid of any trace of a camp by stamping out the fire and grabbing their supplies. She had no idea where they were going to hide Bill the pony, but she didn't have enough time to think or care.

 _Oh, sure, lure me into a false since of security and then fuck with me! I hate this world! I hate Peter Jackson!_

"Wolf! Come here!" Hattie called out, and her dog ran to obey. She and Wolf dove beneath the bush, plenty of room for the two of them to cower. Hugging him to her, she watched as the others followed suit. Wolf whined and had his ears straight back, but just as Hattie was about to comfort him she heard something beside her.

Without warning, someone landed on top of Hattie, pinning her underneath their heavy frame. It wasn't one of the hobbits - _they couldn't be this heavy, could they?_ \- but whoever it was Hattie wanted them off her back. Her struggle and protest were cut off when whoever was crushing her put a hand over her mouth to silence her. If anything this further infuriated Hattie. She was resolved to bite their hand to get them to back off, when the clammer of a thousand wings made her blood freeze.

Each one of the Crebain were calling out, shrieking terribly like possessed crows. Hattie pressed herself closer to the ground, smearing the side of her face with dirt till all she could see were Wolf's paws. The sound reverberated in her chest, racing against her heart, but as quickly as the sound took over the air, it was gone.

Whoever was on top of Hattie breathed a sigh of relief. They lifted their hand away from her mouth and Hattie was finally able to turn her head to see it was Boromir who landed on her.

"They are gone." He whispered, his eyes still trained up at the patches of sky that showed through the sparse branches.

"Good. Great. Can you get off of me now?" Hattie asked impatiently. Frowning, Boromir looked down, noticing as if for the first time how _completely_ pinned beneath him she was. Something close to embarrassment flashed over his confused expression before he quickly moved off of Hattie. Finally able to breathe, Hattie followed the Captain out from under the bush.

"Apologies my lady." Boromir said as he cleared his throat uncomfortably, "I have not caused you harm, have I?"

Hattie shrugged and dove back down for her packs.

"No. A little warning would have been nice though. That, and wash your hands once in a while, okay?" She told him as she coaxed Wolf out from under the bush. Boromir shook his head and looked ready to apologize again, but the smirk Hattie turned toward him stopped him. Despite the situation he chuckled, and the two of them stood up smiling. They rejoined the others, and for the briefest of moments Hattie caught Legolas's eyes on the pair of them. His look was indecipherable as usual, but before Hattie could even begin to wonder what he was thinking, Gandalf addressed the group.

"Spies of Saruman! The passage South is being watched!" He shouted in alarm and anger at the betrayal of one he once thought of as a great friend. Frodo's blue eyes were wide with fright, and none of the others were better off. Hattie could still feel her heart hammering away at her ribs.

"Come. No more delay. We make for the Redhorn Pass with all haste!" Gandalf commanded as he look towards the very mountain. It loomed over them, terrible and great. Even from their distance, crags of ice and snow could be seen upon its steep slopes. It looked _very_ forboding and _very_ cold.

"Damn it!" Hattie swore loudly, bringing a few pairs of eyes on her. She gushed under the attention.

"I forgot my hat."

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Well, what do you think? I think from now on, Gimli and Hattie are actually going to be somewhat chummy. Gimli is actually my favorite character outside of Legolas, but he seems to be treated poorly in some fanfics, portrayed as snide and mean. I mean, yeah, he's a bit of a grouch. But he is a proud dwarf who would probably like to hear a kind word about dwarves every once in a while since everyone else seems to dump on them so much *cough, elves, cough*. Anyway, I hope you also enjoyed Hattie's lesson from Legolas. Hehe, I'm such a tease.

Anyway, as the Fellowship makes their way up Caradhras, Hattie has to deal with more Fellowship drama a just a _bit_ of snow.


	8. Why Do Damsels Always Faint?

**Chapter 8; Why Do Damsels Always Faint?:**

 ** _Side note:_** I'm sorry guys, this one might be a little slow. I just wanted Hattie to bond a little more with the hobbits and a few of the other Fellowship members before things really take off. That said, I'm not sure how well I like this chapter as it felt like a chore to write, but I know I needed to get it over with. Tell me what you guys think.

I'm also sorry that this one is out later than normal, as I was fleshing out the last of the twists and big reveals for this story by plotting out its, uh, plot. So, yeah, I got big plans for this story, really getting into the Tolkien lore and maybe throwing a few loops on the whole 10th walker mythos. But you'll be recognizing more scenes in here from the movies as well as the book if you've ever read it.

I hope you guys will enjoy it – and as usual thanks for reviewing/fav/following this story – and also sorry to have kept you all waiting!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

The entire evening and night after the Crebain incident was possibly one of the most tiring experiences Hattie had ever gone through. All though the night and part of the following day Gandalf had the Fellowship go at a breakneck pace. By the time it was afternoon, Hattie was barely staggering forward. Not only was she, and everyone else for that matter, tired, but hungry as well since Gandalf had ordered that there were to be no more fires. Fires, he said, were as much beacons to the enemy as they were for warmth. Hattie knew where he was coming from in all this, but couldn't help resent the wizard a little as she tiredly munched on her meal share of stale bread and cheese as they kept walking on.

"Well, if this isn't a plague and a nuisance!" Pippin groaned when Sam doled out his portion, "All because of a pack of crows! I had looked forward to a really good meal tonight, something hot!"

Not far ahead of them, Gandalf turned his face to address the less then discreet hobbit's complaint.

"Well, you can go on looking forward. There may be many unexpected feasts ahead for you. For myself I should like a pipe to smoke in comfort and warmer feet." He said as he continued to stomp his way through the light snow that had gathered at their feet. Hattie, like Gandalf, wasn't too big a fan at the sudden change in weather. They had walked a lot of miles, all of them on incline, as they finally had begun the assent to the Redhorn Pass. Over the course of a few hours, the land lost most of the greenery. A few hours after that, snow began to appear on the ground, starting as a light frost until it became a few inches.

Hattie, in preparation for the worst, had already layered herself up. She was wearing both pairs of leggings and shirts, as well as her jacket and jumper. She was warm now, as the sun was shining clear, but knew that would soon change the further up they got.

 _I couldn't pack a pair of gloves or a spare hat or something? Some outdoorsy girl I am._

"However," Went on Gandalf with a wry smile, "we are certain of one thing at any rate: it will get warmer as we get south."

"Too warm, I shouldn't wonder," Muttered Sam to Frodo, "But I'm beginning to think it's time we got a sight of that Fiery Mountain, and saw the end of the road, so to speak."

Hattie, walking next to the pair beside Bill, rolled her eyes. Hobbits, as adorable as they were, saw the world a lot smaller than most. Any day now all four them expected to see Mount Doom over the next hill they climbed, and groaned and complained when all there was only another hill.

"Sam, never wish for the future to come any sooner than it has to." Hattie teased him, only to grimace at how much like Gandalf she was sounding.

 _I've been hanging out with these guys too long. Next thing I'll be saying nay and thou and all that sort of Shakespeare._

"Why Miss? What do you see ahead?" Frodo asked, trying not to sound apprehensive. The Crebain had really shaken him, yet another danger that was hounding after him and the Ring.

"Nothing." Hattie said quickly to comfort him, tapping into her inner scholar, "I'm just a big believer in putting things off. Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow just as well."

"That's good advice Miss! Where did you hear that?" Pippin asked. Hattie shrugged tiredly, not really wanting to explain Mark Twain right now.

"Oh, I'm just full of wise...ness?"

 _Smooth._

"Perhaps you might be inclined to keep them to yourself, Miss O'Connor." Gandalf turned again, this time giving Hattie a pointed look, "Lest you start giving the hobbits ideas."

Hattie frowned as she heard Aragorn, behind her and the hobbits, laugh a little. She turned that frown towards Gandalf.

"You're rather a patronizing wizard, aren't you?"

Gandalf had nothing to say to this, and merely kept up the pace.

 _One of these days I'm gonna call you Dumbledore. Just you wait and see._

Silence fell between them all once more. The ridge they were on had become a lot steeper. Hattie felt like she was climbing a set of endless stairs. It was hell, but her only comfort was that her thighs were going to be rock hard after this. She was breathing heavy though, her breath forming in white clouds, and was sweating a storm despite the cold around her. It was all the worse because the air was chill around them, biting their lungs with the cold every time they breathed in. Higher and higher they climbed, and several times Hattie could hear her ears pop. Caradhras rose before them all still, tipped with snow like silver, but with sheer naked sides, dull red as if stained with blood. Hattie supposed that's why it was called the Redhorn then.

 _God, do we really have to climb that son of a bitch only to climb back down it?_

Wolf, who had been trudging through the snow at her side faithfully, gave her a look.

 _'Only if you choose to stay to the path that has been written, rather than forge your own.'_

Hattie shivered involuntarily. Wolf recently took it upon himself now to speak to her whenever he chose, rather than when she had a question. He had all kinds of advice it seemed, but Hattie wasn't certain if she wanted to listen to any of it. She wanted him as her silly, goofy dog…but she wasn't really certain anymore if Wolf was _her_ dog anymore. Unsettled with his newfound fortune cookie wisdom, Hattie shook her head.

 _What did we say about speaking in full sentences?_

In response, Wolf yipped playfully and ran off, probably to go find something to eat. Hattie worried for him more than ever since the wolf spy, but couldn't see a way around his leaving every once in a while for food. Wolf's paws kicked up snow as he went though, hitting Merry in the face, making him sputter and curse.

"By the Shire! I'm miserable." He groaned before turning to his relative, "Frodo, sing us a tune to walk to, or I shall drop where I stand!"

This was not an uncommon request. Frodo and the hobbits had a few times broken into song, much to the enjoyment of the company. They seemed to know hundreds, selecting something that could uplift them all no matter what the current mood was. They could sing for hours at a time it seemed. But it looked like none of them had the stamina anymore for it as Frodo frowned at the idea.

"Nay. I am too weary. Pippin has a better voice."

"Why me? Miss Hattie, why don't you sing?"

Hattie, who had been idly mulling over what Wolf told her, brought herself back the conversation.

"Uh, no. Pass. How about you Sam?"

"Now, go on Miss Hattie." Beseeched Merry, "Give us a song from the North."

Hattie firmly shook her head.

"I can't sing."

Pippin scoffed in disbelief. "All girls can sing Miss Hattie."

"Then let me put it this way: I _don't_ sing. Period." Hattie said pointedly. She didn't like being singled out for being a girl, since she already was being singled out as a weirdo already. To her surprise though, Legolas, who had been walking ahead of her, looked back with a smirk.

"My experience dictates otherwise. It was after all your strange song that allowed me to find you in the first place if you recall."

Hattie, at the mention of their first meeting, felt her face go red. She recovered by scowling at the elf, who only looked amused at her torment. Hattie was willing to bet her life that this was revenge for the dog whistle incident. Or maybe the axe incident. Either way, maybe she kind of deserved this. Still, she stubbornly crossed her arms, not willing to budge.

"Oh, come on Miss Hattie." Pleaded Merry again. Even Gimli weighed in his opinion.

"Mmph, a bit of merriment would not be disagreeable."

"Yes! Please Miss Hattie!" Chorused Pippin. Hattie shook her head, but then from the front of the line Gandalf shouted.

"For the love of Eru, do _something_ Miss O'Connor, or we shall never know peace again!"

"Fine!" Hattie shouted back. She had actually hoped Gandalf would have objected to all this noise. What with spies everywhere and what not. But then, Gandalf was not a total killjoy, and probably wanted to distract the hobbits from a very perilous ridge that lay ahead of them. Not that this was any comfort to Hattie. She could practically feel everyone's eyes on her, like she was about to give a class presentation.

Hattie decided there was nothing for it. Besides, she wouldn't be honest if she was saying that this was not a little surreal. The Fellowship was asking her to serenade them. It wasn't like she could really say no to her heroes, even if they were jerks sometimes.

 _Alright, just get this over with._

Hattie took a deep breath and went for it.

 _"When I wake up, yeah I know I'm gonna be,_ _  
 _I'm gonna be the one who wakes up next to you_  
 _When I go out, yeah I know I'm gonna be_  
 _I'm gonna be the one who goes along with you_  
 _And if I get drunk, yes I know I'm gonna be_  
 _I'm gonna be the one who gets drunk next to you_  
 _And if I haver, then I know I'm gonna be_  
 _I'm gonna be the one who's havering to you…"__

Hattie really had no idea what haver meant, but this happened to be one of the few – _normal_ – songs she had readily memorized. It didn't require much from her vocally and had an easy tune. She actually didn't sound half bad, or at least Legolas wasn't covering his ears in pain yet like she expected.

Besides, by all rights, this was practically their theme song.

 _"But I would walk five hundred miles_ _  
 _And I would walk five hundred more_  
 _Just to be the one who walked a thousand miles_  
 _To fall down at your door…"__

Hattie finished the song on her own, but by the second time around the hobbits joined in with her. The song wasn't that difficult to learn, and the hobbits were quick to pick up anything that had a simple tune. When they joined in, Hattie actually began to have fun. The oppressive, hurried air lightened around them. It was nice to forget, just for a second or two, that they hadn't had a decent meal in two days. Of course, those seconds didn't last very long.

"Ah, that was lovely and all." Sighed Pippin after they sang the song about seven more times, "But now I'm hungrier than before."

Hattie nodded in agreement.

"Me too. I'd kill for baked potato with the works. And maybe a slice of pie…definitely a slice of pie."

Merry looked up at Hattie admiringly, his smile very fond. "You were born wrong I think, Miss Hattie. You should have been a hobbit. It'd suit you far better."

Hattie had to chuckle.

"Well, I do remember some kids teasing me about my height. They called me Hattie 'The Hobbit'."

 _Now I remember how much I hated high school. Wish I could forget it all over again._

"Hattie _the_ Hobbit!" Exclaimed Pippin, surprising Hattie, "Why, that's rather presumptuous of them! They must not have met many hobbits then."

"Pippin, they didn't mean it like–"

"Maybe she can be an honorary hobbit instead?" Suggest Merry, "Right Pip?"

"Oh, yes, honorary is fine. As there is not greater honor than being likened to a hobbit by a hobbit." Pippin agreed, and the other hobbits nodded as well. Hattie could feel herself beaming ear to ear.

 _Too cute. Too cute. Help me, it's all too cute!_

"She needs a title." Frodo interjected. Hattie shot him a look but he batted it away with a too innocent smile. While he liked to play up those big blue eyes, he had a mischievous side he definitely inherited from Bilbo. Hattie felt herself glad to see this part of him, but her little fangirl moment ended when Pippin spoke up.

"I dub thee honorary hobbit: Miss Hattie the Huge!" He spoke loudly, his voice echoing over the snow. A few chuckles from the Fellowship answered in response, causing Hattie to immediately flinch and blush.

"H-hey! I'm not huge! I'm petite! I'm cuddle size!"

"But it suits you so well, Miss Hattie." Smiled Frodo, and Hattie succumbed to it with a grumble.

"Fine. Alright. Huge it is."

 _And now I miss high school..._

 **~o0o~**

Nothing further happened that day, and the next morning dawned brighter than before. They were higher up, the steepness of the Caradhas suddenly before them. The view was incredible, that was certain, but Hattie wasn't in much of a mood to enjoy it. She was now having to help Sam with Bill, as the sharp incline was a little rough for the poor horse. The going became so rought that Boromir had to come over and help the pair of them with the horse. Bill didn't take the change in environment, and whether by accident or purpose stepped on Hattie's foot a couple of times. Hattie swore, if she ever got home, she was never going to complain about the prices of gas when this was the alternative.

And then, as if timed perfectly to make everyone's misery overflow, it began to snow on the Fellowship. It was light, but the clouds above them were a looming grey, threatening more to come. Hattie groaned internally, and it seemed she wasn't the only one who didn't like this change of events. Gandalf ahead snuffed at the air before scowling.

"Winter deepens behind us," He said solemnly to those around him. "The highest away north are whiter than they were. Tonight we shall be on our way high up towards the Redhorn Gate. We may well be waylaid by some evil. But the weather may prove more deadly an enemy than any."

Hattie felt like crying in frustration.

 _Oh, great. As if wolves and crows weren't enough. Now the goddamn mountain is our enemy._

"I will add a word of advice, if I may," Spoke up Boromir, "I was born under the shadow of the White Mountains and know something of journeys to in the high places. We shall meet bitter cold, if no worse, before we come down the other side. Each of us should carry a faggot of wood, as large as he can bear."

"And Bill could take a bit more, couldn't you lad?" Sam asked the horse. The creature seemed to nod in response, and the others looked receptive of the idea as well. The hobbits were probably hoping this would mean they would have hot meals again, but Gandalf dashed that hope quickly.

"Very well, but we must not use the wood. Not unless it is a choice between fire and death."

"Cheery guy, isn't he?" Hattie muttered, sharing a smirk with Boromir. The Fellowship and Hattie went about collecting what wood they could from the few dead trees there were this high up. Wolf even dragged a large stick over, causing a few chuckles. Burdened with wood and hope, they once more began their climb. Hours passed and soon enough though they were higher than ever before, leaving behind everything except steep rock and fresh snow.

Miserably, Hattie started to shiver. Bundled up as she was and with the hood of her jacket pulled up, the cold still seeped into her hands and feet. She, Wolf, and the hobbits struggled with the deep snow, having to follow the steps of the others who forged a path for them. Hattie fairly clung to Boromir's cloak, having tripped a few times before being rescued by him before nearly rolling down the mountain. Hattie was happy Boromir was past treating her with suspicion, because he was a surprisingly pleasant guy to be all, he had been raised like a prince, so it made since he had a bit of charm to him. He kept her distracted by telling her stories from his time as Captain, of past glories and defeats. Hattie took mental notes, promising to write down what she heard later when she could feel her fingers again.

"I wonder if this is a contrivance of the enemy," Boromir said as he looked to the clouded sky, pausing his story about his first encounter with elves, "They say in my land that he can govern the storms in the Mountains of Shadow that stand upon the borders of Morodor. He has strange powers and many allies, and his arm grows longer each year…"

His look became clouded. Hattie, while happy he had paused for a moment, didn't like this sudden change in conversation. Her foreboding was justified when Boromir continued to move forward.

"Miss O'Connor, if I may have a word?" He asked lowly, almost a whisper. Unsure of all of this, Hattie deflected.

"Incomprehensibilities. It set the record as the longest word commonly used in the English language. All yours big guy."

"Please, do not jest with me, my lady." Hattie felt herself gulping at the grave look the Prince Steward gave her, "You are a seer. You know of the thoughts that plague my mind."

This was what Hattie had been dreading for the longest time. Yeah, sure, Gandalf told the Fellowship that she had no power over when her so called visions came to her. But that didn't mean she still might not get a few questions put to her. And she was dreading Boromir's the most. She _did_ know what plagued his mind. She had only read the books and watched the movies about a hundred times. It was as obvious to her as anyone else, but she had no idea what to say or do about. She had resolved earlier that she was going to try her best to help the Prince Steward before they reached Lothlorien, but was still overwhelmingly unprepared. How did one come up with a motivational speech on the spot?

"Um? No?" Hattie played the innocent again, looking to Wolf for help but he offered none, "I'm a seer, not a mind reader."

"We are fools for embarking on this mad quest!" He seethed quietly, though there was a note of hopelessness to his voice. "Sauron's spies are already closing in on us. And if they are not the end of us, this mountain will be. As we go, it will only be a matter of time before the Ring is back with its Master…"

Boromir stopped, looking back to face Hattie fully. From ahead, the conversation finally caught the attention of Legolas, who then moved to whisper to Gandalf. Knowing that they were being watched now, Hattie grew anxious as Boromir continued on.

"If we took the Ring to my city, then perhaps there might be hope against such a fate. To free my people from the darkness around them is all I wish. Please, my lady, would you share your council with me? Help me convince the wizard against destroying the Ring by showing him the victories it would bring to my people?"

Hattie, feeling Gandalf's eyes practically pierce her down, shook her head.

"The Ring needs to be destroyed."

Boromir's desperate look of hope became dejected.

"But surely, there is a better way than–"

"Please!" Hattie said louder than necessary. It was too much responsibility, too much pressure. She wanted to help him, but Hattie knew she couldn't give him the answer he wanted. Her problem of getting herself home and surviving until then was already too much. She didn't want to think about Sauron or Gondor or the Ring. The look of the other around her and Boromir seemed to become concerned then, and Hattie quickly went on before any of them could react.

"Please, don't ask me about the Ring. I can't…I…" Hattie hesitated before turning a nervous smile towards the Prince Steward, "Look, I know this for sure, alright? You're a good man. A noble one. And you always will be…in the end. Just hold onto that? Alright?"

Boromir did not look happy with this answer. A cold look came over him, as if Hattie had just slapped him. He shook his head, and marched forward to leave Hattie behind.

"Very well, my lady. I will not ask anything of you again."

Hattie opened her mouth to say something, but still feeling the eyes of everyone on her, she kept silent instead. Reluctantly she moved after Boromir. Guilt sunk in and settled, churning her stomach. She wanted to help Boromir, but the first moment he actually asked for help from her, she screwed up. Just because she knew the outcome didn't give her any advantage of what was happening around her. How was she supposed to advise others to act when she didn't know? She was an awkward bookworm who occasionally had a quote she could recite or a passage she could remember. Actually, being a bookworm seemed to be the heart of all her problems. If she hadn't read the books then maybe she wouldn't even be here, where people expected her to have the answers to their life or death problems…

Hattie sighed to herself as she wiped her nose that had gotten runny because of the cold.

 _This is harder than I thought. I might as well just handed Boromir a motivational poster with a kitten on it…_

Wolf came up closer beside her and nudged at her leg _._

 _'You did what you could.'_

 _You're a dog. What do you know?_

 _'More than you apparently.'_

Hattie had to chuckle. Wolf, for all his new flaws, still managed to make her smile. But wanting a little truth to hold on to, Hattie decided to ask a question that had been burning in the back of her mind.

 _Hey…what happened to you anyway? Are you really my dog still, or what?_

The dog contemplated her question for a moment, and with huff was ready to answer.

 _'I am one–'_

"Frodo!"

Everyone stopped, turning to see the poor hobbit tumble a ways down the steep side. He had been beside Gimli, but kept falling until he nearly went past Aragorn who brought up the rear. Concerned, Hattie moved towards them, Boromir not far behind her. Thankfully, Aragorn caught the hobbit and helped him up. Seeing that he was alright, Hattie was about to turn back and walk on when she noticed Frodo looking panicked. Stepping further down the hill she saw he was feeling about his neck.

 _Uh-oh. I know this part! I know this!_

Hattie _did_ know this part. Quickly, she turned to face Boromir, prepared for the worst. But he was only looking towards Frodo with concern. Confused, Hattie looked back to the hobbit, and that was when she finally felt something beneath her shoe in the snow. Thinking it a rock, she moved her foot.

 _Wait a minute…rocks aren't shiny._

Curiously – stupidly – Hattie bent down to pick it up, ignoring the whine Wolf was giving her. It was a chain silver, and as she lifted it from the snow she could see a small golden ring slipped on it. Hattie frowned at it, taking longer than it should have to figure out just what she had in her hands now. Panicked, she looked up towards Boromir, who was looking at her and the Ring in astonishment.

 _Shit! I fucked up! I fucked up! Shit, shit, shit!_

Hattie looked back and forth from Boromir and the Ring, flabbergasted and confused, when Aragorn called out.

"Miss O'Connor."

"Huh?" Hattie turned, a little dazed.

"Give the Ring back to Frodo." He said sternly to her, his eyes boring harshly into hers that Hattie wilted under the look. Great, now he thought that she wanted to keep the damn thing. Her eyes flickered to his waist, and sure enough the Ranger had a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Yeah. Of course, sorry." Hattie said with a shake of her head. Holding the Ring at the end of its chain warily, she started to stumble her way towards them. She messed up. She messed up badly. If she hadn't been so caught up in helping Boromir she would have remembered this scene.

 _I guess this is a lesson for me. Right. No more Mr. Good Girl. I just got to take care of myself and stay out of everyone else's way…_

"I'm sorry. I thought it was a rock or something." Hattie said apologetically as she stood before Frodo. She held up the Ring for him to take, "But, like obviously, it isn't. Kind of a plain looking thing though, don't you think? Like I've seen–"

Something happened. Hattie wasn't sure what. But in the moment between her handing the Ring to Frodo and him grabbing it, something happened.

"Miss O'Connor!" Shouted someone, but Hattie couldn't really tell who over her own screams.

She was on the ground, collapsed, her body spasming in pain. It raked over her, stemming from the Ring she now clutched in her hand unwillingly. Wolf was barking, pacing about her in worry. Hattie could see shadows looming over her, vague as if through water, counting nine somewhere in the more lucid part of her brain. The rest was occupied with the coursing agony that surged through her. She felt sick, she felt paralyzed, and worse than anything, she felt like how she did the moment she woke up covered in blood and found herself miserably alone in Middle-earth. Her lungs suddenly stopped, unable to work through the pain. And when that last inch of breath left her, everything went black…

 _"Little one…come to me…"_

 **~o0o~**

The first thing Hattie thought when she woke up was who was singing. The voice was music in its own right, smooth and clear and yet quite powerful. It was bringing her back to feeling and taking her away from something terrible. Hattie never wanted the voice to stop, even when a terrible cold washed over her as she followed after it. Her eyes opened to reveal a blurry white world, but what was even more disappointing was that the voice stopped singing as she did.

 _"Mithrandir, re naa coiva."_ (She is awake) The voice spoke from beside her.

Hattie, very confused, continued to blink until she could make out just where the hell she was. It seemed to be the bottom of a long hard slope, she and the Fellowship pressed to it for shelter against the wind that roared around them. The hobbits were tucked behind Bill, with Boromir, Aragorn, and Gimli bordering them. They were stuck in the middle of a furious storm, a deadly one apparently because a fire had been lit which Hattie and Gandalf were closest to, but none of its warmth reached her. Hattie wondered if she just might slip back into sleep and keep dreaming of that voice instead…

"Ah, Miss O'Connor. You have awaken. And here we thought you for dead." Gandalf spoke next to her before Hattie could close her eyes. He was pressed close beside her under a pile of snow heaped on them like a blanket, with Wolf in between the two of them. She groaned, the wizard's voice echoing through the sudden headache she had.

"Oh, god…my head is pounding and I can't feel my toes." Hattie grumbled, her voice feeling rough. At least her back was warm, but that was the only thing about her that wasn't absolutely miserable. Gandalf chuckled.

"No one can. As for your headache, it is shocking that you are not suffering far worse."

"What the hell happened?" She turned towards Gandalf, smiling assuringly at Wolf. He looked tired but happy to hear Hattie's voice. She patted his head as she listened to the wizard.

"You touched the Ring, and within seconds you were prone upon the ground, screaming in pain, until Frodo pried the Ring from your fingers. We climbed but a little higher to reach some sort of shelter, when this storm you see came upon us."

Hattie vaguely recalled such. She shivered, but not of the cold.

"It was horrible. I thought was going to be sick."

"You were. All over Aragorn's boots."

Hattie's eyes widened in mortification.

"Oh, god…" She groaned as she threw back her head and squeezed her eyes shut, determined to go back to sleep forever. Instead of a cold stone wall like she expected though, the back of her head collided with something much softer and much warmer. Senses still deadened from her blackout and the cold, Hattie had to twist about to finally notice that she was encompassed by a pair of arms and leaning against a chest. A chest that belonged to an elf.

"Welcome back to the waking world, Miss O'Connor. I fear it is not as delightful as you left it." Legolas teased, though there was an uneasiness in his eyes. What the elf had to be uneasy about, Hattie didn't know. As for herself, she finally felt a bit of warmth on her cheeks. On instinct, she tried to move herself away from him, but his cloak and arms wrapped around her kept her securely pinned to him.

"Um, w-what are you doing?" She accused, but as Legolas opened his mouth to speak Gandalf beat him to it.

"Legolas is an elf, and as such is not affected by the cold as we are. I asked him to keep you from becoming bitten by frost. But if you are going to protest, then perhaps–"

"Oh, no!" Hattie shouted over the wind, only to gush a further red and glance back to Legolas, "This is fine…I guess. Uh, thanks."

 _My god. I'm being cuddled by the Prince of Mirkwood. I wasn't prepared for this. Orcs, yes. This? No._

The elf nodded to her, turning his piercing blue eyes away from her to glance out at the white that swirled around them. Hattie still didn't like this situation she had found herself in, being so up close and personal with Legolas. But he was rather warm and snug and probably the only thing keeping her from becoming an icicle. And after what she had just gone through, she was sort of grateful to feel another person so near her, grounding her with the human – _ish_ \- contact. When was the last time she had been hugged by someone? Her grandmother before she left for England, maybe. Not to mention, the elvish prince's hair was rather soft against her cheek, like the down of a young bird. And it had the scent of cedarwood and young leaves after a spring rain…

"What happened, Miss O'Connor?" Gandalf asked, snapping Hattie back to reality. She bit her lip in frustration.

"I messed up. I picked up the Ring when I wasn't supposed to. It was Boromir who should have–" Hattie cut herself off, glancing back towards Legolas. To his credit he pretended he couldn't hear what she had said, his eyes still trained on the storm.

"Are you saying you interrupted one of your visions?" Phrased Gandalf carefully.

"Yeah. It was an accident. I didn't mean to."

"Hmm." The wizard hummed in thought for a moment, "Well, at the very least let this be a lesson for us. Your visions are not as stable as previously thought, but still have consequences when disturbed."

Hattie didn't need to be told twice. If this was the outcome of her interfering with something – on purpose or no – then count her out. Hattie had never blacked out from pain before and hoped to never again. Looking at Gandalf, she couldn't tell what he was thinking, but knew one thing was clear between them: she was not to change the story. So…in the end, what use was she? Something Wolf said, something about forging her own story, rang about her head for a minute before she shook it away.

 _I'm not going to change anything. I'm going home as soon as we get around the goddamn mountain._

"Most curious the Ring's effects on you though, Miss O'Connor. Tell me, did you feel any pull or temptation from it?" Gandalf pressed to ask after a few miserable moments spent shivering. Hattie reflected on the question, but wasn't certain in her answer.

"N-no actually. At least, I don't think so."

It wasn't like the Ring was talking to her or anything. Actually, it was kind of weird that she hadn't even thought twice about it until she ended up stepping on it. Wasn't the Ring supposed to be this big bad thing everyone wanted at first sight? Not even Gandalf was immune to its call.

The wizard nodded his head thoughtfully as he looked Hattie over with new interest.

"Hm. I might have suspected as much."

"Mind sharing then?" Hattie grumbled, wanting a straight answer from the wizard. Gandalf rubbed his large nose a little, dusting away the snowflakes that gathered on it, before huffing in reply as if it should be obvious.

"Hailing as you do from a realm with no magic, magic must have a greater effect upon you. We here in Middle-earth have lived with magic all our lives. We have a tolerance for it, if you will, while you have none. I imagine anything with a touch of magic about it should effect you greater than any of us. The Ring, a creation of darkest magic, tempts even the strongest of us when we touch or glimpse at it. But for you it simply overwhelmed and nearly killed you. The Ring must know this, and so views you as a poor vessel to convey it back to its Master. That may explain why it does not bother to tempt you at all."

 _Ouch. I've been snubbed by jewelry._

Hattie let this information sink in. Gandalf was basically saying that she was a bit high strung when it came to things magical. She wasn't sure what that meant really. Like, if Gandalf tried to turn her into a frog, would she be a really _big_ frog or what? She looked towards Wolf to see if he had anything to say, but he was only looking at Hattie with his large, sad brown eyes. He whined a little and wriggled his way closer to Hattie, shifting the snow about them. Hattie welcomed his warmth, but for once was upset he wasn't talking. Hattie rolled her eyes.

"Right, so, no touching evil Rings for me." She said out loud. Gandalf nodded in agreement.

"Miss O'Connor, it would seem there is more to you than meets the eye."

Hattie frowned at the wizard.

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

"You must rest." At Gandalf's deflection, Hattie's frown deepened into a pout. She tried to lean back and shut her eyes, but remembering that she was entangled with the elvish prince made her uncomfortable all over again. She could feel Legolas's chest moving as he took small, barely perceptible breaths, like the slow rise and fall of a tide. It was distracting. Sure, she was snuggling with Wolf and Gandalf was practically glued to her side, but with Legolas it was...different.

"Can't stop shivering long enough to go to sleep." Hattie grumbled after a while of trying to force herself relax. The wizard frowned as he took stock of Hattie's condition once more. With a glance towards the hobbits, who weren't looking any better than her, he sighed to himself.

"Then perhaps you should drink this."

Gandalf reached into his robes and pulled out a plain leather flask. He handed it to her with a warning.

"Just a mouthful. It is very precious."

Hattie gave him an odd look, but popped out the cork and took a sip anyway. The moment the liquid touched her lips an instant warmth came to her. She would have compared it to hot coco or strong coffee, it was really more like a drink of hard liquor mixed with an energy drink- fiery and heartracing. Hattie started to gasp for air, her body in shock at the intensity of it took over her organs.

"What the hell was _that_?" She struggled to say through a few rough coughs.

" _Miruvor_ , the cordial of _Imladris_. Elrond gave it to me before our parting. It warms the body and strengthens the heart." Gandalf explained airily, trying fix his hat to stop the snow from piling on the end of his nose.

"Strengthens?! I feel like my heart is going to fly out of my chest!" Hattie yelped, clutching her chest as if to keep that very thing from happening. She felt almost sick from the rush of warmth and sudden energy, like a child in the hold of a sugar rush. She supposed she wasn't cold any more though, and that was something.

Gandalf observed her widened pupils, looking pleased with himself.

"Then it is as I supposed. Magic does affect you greater."

Hattie gaped at him, feeling a little betrayed. She set her face into a scowl.

 _Go on. Do it. Call him Dumbledore. He deserves it!_

"Warn me next time you plan on experimenting on me." Hattie growled instead. The wizard ignored her to gesture towards the others.

"Pass it to the others. They have need of it like you."

Hattie rolled her eyes. She was about to pass the flask off to Boromir, but remembering Legolas twisted herself to hand it to him. It took him a second to notice it, his thoughts lost in the distance, but when he did it was with surprise.

 _"Le hannon."_ (Thank you) He muttered as he took it from her gently.

"No problem." Hattie smiled in reply, causing Legolas's brows to rise suspiciously. She ignored it. Maybe it was his elf pride or something and he didn't really want the flask. But this kind of weather _had_ to have some kind of effect on him. Legolas sipped carefully before passing it on. Hattie still felt her heart pounding, but it was slowly relaxing, leaving her feeling warm and sleepy.

Without much choice, she closed her eyes. Her head rested itself on Gandalf's shoulder after a while, feeling very heavy. She tried not to think on anything that happened within the last twenty-four hours. She started drifting off finally, hoping that she would dream of that voice again, when she heard Aragorn mutter warily.

"The night is getting old. The dawn is not far off...if any dawn can pierce these clouds..."

 **~o0o~**

After a few hours of drifting in and out of consciousness, Hattie was woken up by Legolas telling her it was time to go. She was still exhausted and not much better off than before, but at least nothing was frost bitten...yet. With stiff joints she helped the others pack up, wondering how long they could keep this up. Gandalf shouted over the wind that they would continue to climb, but doubt was on everyone's faces. Going forward might well prove impossible. Only a few paces from the ashes of their short lived fire the snow was deep, higher than the heads of the hobbits. In places it had been scooped and piled by the wind into huge dunes, making it almost impossible to move. Aragorn had said it was about noon, but the sun was hidden behind grey clouds so thick it might as well have been night.

The hobbits, bent nearly double, toiled along behind the big folk, but it was obvious that they could not go much further with this storm. Their feet were dragging like they were made of lead, and Hattie couldn't imagine the cold they must be feeling. No one, not even the hobbits, had the strength to try and chew through the frozen crusts of bread that had been passed along for lunch. And so with empty stomachs they marched along the path that quickly became a perilous ledge along the face of Caradhras.

Miserably, and in single file, the Fellowship and Hattie continued to follow after Gandalf's lead. The snow slowed them down to a crawl as Gandalf had to shovel it aside. The wizard had assured them that it was only a little ways more until they came to the Redhorn Pass itself, but Hattie felt like even he was no longer certain about this path. Any second now, she hoped he would call it impossible and tell them to turn around. In the books, the Fellowship backed down after Caradhras kicked their butts and nearly froze them all. She suspected that would be any moment now, as Gimli beside her kept muttering about how the mountain had a grudge against some members of the Fellowship.

 _Right, Caradhras has some kind of grudge against dwarves and elves for some reason. How a mountain can have a grudge is anyone's guess, but goddamn it Tolkien, does every rock and tree in this world have feelings?_

Hours passed, but Hattie got the feeling they had barely covered a mile. The sky went from dark, to darker. The hobbits had long ago exhausted themselves. Boromir and Aragorn hefted them along, one hobbit for each arm. This left Hattie with the task of dragging a reluctant Bill along, a shivering Wolf walking between his legs for shelter. Hattie felt sorry for the poor horse as snow started to cling to him, but Wolf wasn't any better off and neither was she. Hattie's clothes were soaked through and becoming stiff with frost. Her fingers were practically frozen to his reins, and Hattie knew she wouldn't be able to let go of them without a pry bar.

"G-G-G-G-im-im-im-li-li-li…I can't f-f-feel my nose. Is it s-s-s-till there?" Hattie asked after a while, genuinely worried about it. The dwarf glanced towards Hattie, and nodded.

"Ay lass." He said wearily. Hattie was about to ask the same about her ears, but stopped short as Legolas passed by the both of them. He walked on top of the snow as if he weighed nothing more than a feather, his footprints invisible as far as Hattie could tell.

"Damn elf looks like he strolls through a garden." Gimli grumbled as he fought against the snow that built up between them and Aragorn who walked in front of them.

"I kn-know. It's annoying." Hattie agreed, and the two of them shared an exhausted chuckle. It was really strange how little the storm seemed to bother Legolas. His hair was being brushed back like he was in a L'Oréal commercial rather than walking through a gale. It really was unfair, especially since Hattie was pretty sure that her greasy hair was now thoroughly frozen and about to break off in icy chunks.

She kept staring at the elf, willing him with her eyes to trip or something, when Legolas instead paused to look out into the swirling grey ahead of where Gandalf forged. What he could possibly be looking at was anyone's guess. But when Wolf started to growl and Bill refused to move Hattie had an inkling it wasn't good.

"There is a fell voice in the air."

Hattie barely heard the elf over the scream of the wind. The others were able to pick up on it as well, and stopped. They listened, their ears strained to pick up on what the elf spoke of. Hattie heard it too, a distant voice lost in the storm, and had to wonder how a mountain could speak. Not that she really cared, she was too exhausted and too happy to care. Yes, happy. Any minute now they would be turning back, and that's all that mattered to her. If Legolas was finally picking up on the mountain wanting them to get off, then Gandalf would finally admit they needed to retreat to a safe distance to reassess their situation. Someone else was supposed to agree – Gimli or Boromir, Hattie couldn't remember – and then they'd be making a dash for foothills Caradhras for warmth and shelter.

 _Oh, wait, aren't there supposed to be the Crebain here too? I think that's what finally makes up Gandalf's mind to turn back. Unless, of course, Peter Jackson is once again right and instead it's –_

"It's Saruman!" Shouted Gandalf, sending a ripple of panic through the Fellowship. Sure enough, the voice grew louder, and Hattie could distinguish words of a strange language she did not know.

 _"Cuiva nwalca Carnirassë! Nai yarvaxëa rasselya taltuva ñotto-carinnar!"_ (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your blood-stained horn fall upon the enemy-heads!)

The words made Hattie shudder under the threat they promised, something she didn't need interpreted to understand. Gandalf had said she was more effected by magic than the others, and she briefly wondered if this was what he meant. She had no time to reflect on it, for sure enough the spell that was being cast hundred miles away began to sway Caradhras. From above a shower of heavy snow and rocks came down, and everyone drew away from the edge to avoid them.

 _'Hattie! The horse!'_ Wolf warned, forcing Hattie's attention elsewhere.

She felt the frightening reality of her situation as Bill started to surge toward her, wanting to run but having no place to go other than forward. The horse became panicked, his eyes rolled over till almost white, forcing she and Gimli to hold on to his reins with all their might to stop the horse from charging over them. Wolf bolted out from under the horse to Hattie's side, hackles raised as if he was getting ready to fight the mountain itself.

"He's trying to bring the mountain down! Gandalf, we must turn back!" Shouted Aragorn before her, the hobbits he was carrying clinging to him for dear life.

"No!" Shouted the wizard, almost desperately it seemed to Hattie. He struggled against the snow piled around him, coming to stand at the edge of the brink of the cliff. Arms raised, he called out against the storm.

 _"Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!"_ (Sleep Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!) The wizard's voice boomed loud, ringing in Hattie's ears. But he wasn't loud enough apparently, for Caradhras wasn't listening. With a sickening crack overhead, half the peak above them broke away.

It fell, hard and fast, and at the last possible second Legolas dragged Gandalf from the edge before he was lost. Hattie, terrified, could think of nothing to do except crouch down and hold onto Wolf. She held on desperately, and closed her eyes. A weight crashed onto her exposed back, forcing her down, and the last thing she could remember was Wolf's startled yelp as everything went black once again.

 _With my last breath, I curse Peter Jackson..._

 **~:o:0:o:~**

So, yeah, a mixture of both the movies and the book in this chapter. In book, the reason they turn back is because the mountain throws a huge hissy fit and basically tells them to get off because it doesn't like elves or dwarves for some reason. I could get into why and all that, but I appreciate Jackson's brevity by having it just be Saruman being an ass to the Fellowship. It makes the situation more antagonistic and really shows how little of a choice the Fellowship ends up having by choosing Moria as the only way to cross the mountains. Speaking of which, in the next chapter the Fellowship - again, with little choice - vote to try crossing through Moria. BUT WAIT! Didn't Hattie say something about wolves attacking? Oh boy...


	9. Wargs, Ponies, and Squid-Things, Oh My!

**Chapter 9; Wargs, Ponies, and Squid-Things, Oh My!:**

 ** _Side note:_** So…this chapter is mostly from the book, and guess what?! We finally get some fighting! Hurray! Poor Hattie though. I'm just gonna say it now. She has it a bit rough in this chapter. Also, I think chapters in general are going to be this long from now on. Just so much to write, so little time! But I'm glad we're finally moving along to the more exciting portions of the story. Walking can only be entertaining for so long...

 **~o:0:o~**

At first, there was nothing.

Following that all too quickly was a splitting headache.

"Ow…" Hattie groaned. Her eyes squinted themselves open, and to her disappointment a blurry world of snow greeted her. However, it was moving…and upside down. Wanting it to stop before her headache got worse, Hattie tried to stand. But when the swaying ground beneath her snorted, she realized she was strewn across Bill the pony's back like a sack of potatoes.

"Merry, she's moving!" Exclaimed Pippin, causing Hattie to winch at the sound. The noise caught the attention of the others, and they stopped in their march down a large slope to look back at the two hobbits walking behind the pony.

 _"Estel, re naa coiva!"_ (Estel, she is awake!)

Hattie turned, and got an upside down view of Legolas, who was leading the pony. She was extremely confused by all of this, and the blood rushing to her head wasn't helping her any.

"Miss Hattie?" Pippin asked in concern. Hattie tried to speak, but failed.

"Nh...whas goin on…"

"You've been asleep for a few hours now. Are you feeling alright?"

"...no." Hattie groaned. Not liking her position on Bill, Hattie tried to slide off of him and onto her feet. Unfortunately, neither her legs or the snow was very steady, so Hattie instead ended up falling backwards onto the ground. Legolas stepped over to help her, something that took a lot effort since Hattie's legs were more useless than a ragdoll's. Shakily and with an overwhelming sensation of vertigo Hattie clung to Bill's neck for balance when the elf finally got her up.

"What happened?" She asked again, looking around her for some answers. The Fellowship looked haggard and exhausted – _except Legolas, of course_ – but less frozen at least. The wind and snow around them seemed to have lessened, so Hattie deduced that they were going back down Caradhras. As happy as Hattie was about this, she was disturbed that the last thing she remembered was clinging to Wolf as a mountain came down on top of them. For a moment Hattie panicked until she saw Wolf at Legolas's side, wagging his tail happily at her. Relief washed over her, but that didn't last long.

"What happened?" Huffed Merry, "You gave us a scare Miss Hattie is _what_! Gimli had to dig you out from under the snow and rock, and we feared you for dead when we caught sight of such red!"

Hattie felt her stomach twist.

"Red? Red as in _blood_ red?" She whimpered. Letting go of the pony, Hattie glanced herself over. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, she felt her head. Sure enough, there was a wrapping of cloth around it, and when she touched the top of her forehead she hissed out in pain. Thankfully Aragorn had made his way over by then, and put her to ease before she could panic.

"A small gash from one of the falling rocks. It looks worse than it actually is. I applied a salve to staunch the bleeding." He comforted as he came to stand before her. Gently, he reached up to the bandage and lifted it. From her side, Legolas recoiled at the sight of it, and left the pair of them to attend to Bill again. It didn't comfort Hattie any.

 _Either I'm hideous and mutilated now or he's squeamish…and the latter doesn't seem very likely._

Aragorn continued to inspect the wound, nodding to himself as he came to some conclusion. He reached down to his side and pulled out a small pouch. Pouring out some mixture of dried herbs into his palm, Aragorn grabbed a bit of snow stirred it in. When the snow melted it made the herbs into a kind of paste. Hattie watched curiously, but when he was about to apply some to her forehead, she flinched back.

"Wait, what kind of salve is that? Is it Kingsfoil?" She asked, eyeing the paste suspiciously. Hattie wasn't entirely certain how much she wanted to trust Middle-earth Medicare, especially of the mucky looking variety that Aragorn had now. Kingsfoil was the only medicine she remembered, and since it healed Frodo a couple of times it had to be okay. Aragorn disappointed her by shaking his head though.

"No, dried yarrow. I'm applying more to keep away infection."

Hattie guessed she had no choice but to trust the yellow gunk and Aragorn's healing ability. As he applied the paste to her forehead, Hattie kept winching in pain each time his fingers grazed what she guessed to be a sizable gash. The left side of her face felt itchy from the blood that dried there, but thankfully it looked like her clothes had been spared.

 _This is the second time I've been knocked unconscious. When I get back home, first order of business is a CAT scan._

"So you have interests in healing as well as becoming an archie-ee-ogolist?" Aragorn asked as he started to put the bandage back into place.

" _Archaeologist_." Hattie corrected absently, "And no. I think my dad wanted me to become a doctor or something, but I prefer dealing with people after their dead. Their much less fussy then."

At her bad attempt at humor, Aragorn gave Hattie a guarded look. "I know not of doc-toors. But not many know of Kingsfoil's healing qualities outside of elf kind or the Rangers of the North. Strange that _you_ should know of it."

Hattie flinched, picking up on Aragorn's suspicion. He was right. Kingsfoil was a plant that's abilities had been forgotten except by the elves and Rangers, thought by most to be just a common weed. And since she already said that there were no elves where she was from, Hattie could see why Aragorn was a more than a little surprised. Legolas too was curiously glancing over at her, making her internal panic worse.

"Well, you know. _I'm_ from the North...so..." Hattie struggled to come up with something, anything, to say. But when it was clear he had her in a corner, Aragorn dismissed the subject.

"It matters not. Your wound is healing well and shall not scar I think." He informed her as he brushed off the remaining paste on his hands. It was clear to her now that Aragorn did not believe her, and not liking to be caught in a lie Hattie felt herself looking away in discomfort.

"Thanks. For the paste and stuff." She managed to mumble though, and Aragorn nodded.

"Come, enough of this foul weather!" Gimli shouted towards them, "Let us get out of reach of Caradhras's wrath!"

With that, the Fellowship picked back up that pace again. Hattie was right, they were on the descent. And while the weather wasn't exactly pleasant, it wasn't shredding through them anymore. The snow was light enough for the hobbits to be walking on their own, though they were walking beside or behind Bill, who forged an easier path for them. Hattie followed their example, but had to wonder what was next for them all.

"Where are we going exactly?" She asked Aragorn before he could leave her side to return to the front with Gandalf.

"With the hobbits exhausted and you injured, Gandalf dares not to face Caradhras and Saruman together. We retreat to a safer distance, and then we shall discuss what is to be done."

Hattie beamed from ear to ear.

"That sounds like a good plan. I like this plan. Does it also involve food?"

At the mention of food, some of the hobbits glanced back towards the pair, clearly interested in the answer. Aragorn smiled tiredly at them.

"Soon. Once we make past the last of the storm we'll stop to make camp."

"Oh," Sighed Pipping as Aragorn left them, "I do hope the bread has defrosted itself. I should like a bit of toast I think."

"Aye, with butter and jam on top." Added Merry dreamily. But Sam shook his head.

"We never had any butter, and we ran out of jam last week."

Pippin did not take this well.

"No jam?!"

Hattie walked on, ignoring the hobbits discussing what they should make with the little rations they had left. She felt her head again, the pain dulling a bit. She hoped Aragorn was right and that it wouldn't scar. But that was the least of her worries. First thing first, they had to get out of the storm and down the mountain. Then it would be Moria and orcs. Compared to that, a head injury – and the lack of jam – didn't seem that much of a big deal. Of course, it would be just her kind of luck to die of an aneurysm before they even reached Moria.

Groaning to herself, Hattie tried to keep up pace with Bill. She was already tiring, grabbing onto his side for support. She wondered if she might ask to ride him again, but seeing as how the hobbits were just as tired as she was it wouldn't really be all that fair.

 _'Are you well?'_

Hattie glanced around her for a second, wondering where the voice came from, when she remembered Wolf was at her side. He was looking up at her with apprehension, his amber eyes round and big. She gave him smile.

 _Well enough to get off of this mountain._

 _'You must never do such a thing again. Never put my safety above yours. It is I that must protect you.'_

The harsh tone of Wolf's voice worried Hattie. He was scolding her like she had done something wrong. She guessed he meant when she threw herself on top of him when the snow and rock fell towards them. Hattie hadn't really been thinking in that moment, it was just instinct. Still, she didn't like the tone her dog was taking with her.

 _Yeah…right. This from the pup who used to hide under my bed whenever there was a thunderstorm._

Wolf snorted forcefully, insulted. The sentiment of what he said wasn't lost on Hattie though. It was really sweet that this dope of a dog wanted to keep her safe. Reaching down, she scratched behind his ear, making his head tilt happily.

 _'Could you get under my chin too?'_

Hattie chuckled loudly, causing Legolas to look back at her again.

"Sure thing buddy."

 **~o0o~**

The storm left them soon enough, and the threat of snow lifted. The clouds above them broke and for the first time in what felt like forever the sun shone down on them. Hattie felt like singing when she felt its warmth on her frozen cheeks. The country before them spread itself out in the daylight; a breathtaking view that showed the foothills of Caradhras to be a long way off still.

Legolas left Bill to Hattie as he went and scouted ahead, telling them that the snow became shallower just a ways past a steep slope before them. Everyone was glad to hear it, especially the hobbits. Despite how their legs ached, everyone managed to make it over. The snow eased away little by little, and soon signs of green appeared around them. The day was waning fast though, and soon enough it was evening when they finally made it to the lower slopes.

Gandalf had them stop, finally, on top of a large hill ringed with trees and boulders. Everyone was a panting, sweaty mess of exhaustion – _except for Legolas, of course_ – and looked ready to collapse where they stood. Silently they went about their tasks for setting camp for the night. The hobbits almost didn't have the strength for it until Gandalf passed out more of the Miruvor of Rivendell for everyone. Even Hattie took swig, relishing in the warmth and energy it gave her.

Dinner was simple toast and cheese with tea after Boromir got a fire going. Sam and Merry made the dinner, although Hattie opted to make her own grilled cheese sandwich. Pippin was thoroughly impressed by it and had one too. It wasn't a pleasant dinner though, as the mountains became veiled in the deepening dusk, and the wind was still unkind to them.

They all sat, munching silently, until Gandalf sighed to himself and sat down on a stump beside the fire.

"Friends, while we still have enough strength to talk, I must admit having been thwarted by Caradhras and Saruman."

This bit of admittance was not taken well by the others, who glanced at Gandalf warily. It wasn't a good sign when your team's most powerful wizard confessed to having been thrashed by a bit of snow.

"We still have our journey and our errand before us, and as a Fellowship we must decide what comes next." Gandalf continued, eyeing each one of the Fellowship, "We have no choice but to go on, or to return to Rivendell."

Pippin's face brightened visibly at the mere mention of return to Rivendell. No doubt he was ready for this whole thing to be over. Hattie couldn't help but sympathize, and even Merry and Sam looked up hopefully. But Hattie noticed Aragorn and Boromir glancing at one another, sharing a look. Frodo was the only one who was visually troubled, his hand unintentionally reaching for the end of the chain about his neck.

"I wish I was back there," He spoke up, his eyes clouded. "But how can I return without shame...unless there is indeed no other way, and we are already defeated?"

Gandalf sighed.

"You are right, Frodo. To go back is to admit defeat and face worse defeat to come. If we go back now, then the Ring must remain there. Then sooner or later Rivendell will be besieged, and after a brief and bitter time it will be destroyed. The Ringwraiths are deadly enemies, but they are only shadows of the power and terror they would possess if the Ruling Ring was on their Master's hand again."

The silence that followed this could have been cut with a knife. Frodo was visibly paler, and Hattie rolled her eyes at the wizard.

 _And this is why some people call you Stormcrow. You sure know how to be a killjoy._

"There is a way that we may attempt," continued Gandalf. "I was against it, until the pass over the mountains had at least been tried. The road that I speak of leads to the Mines of Moria."

At the mention of Moria Gimli lifted up his head. He was looking at the wizard fiercely, but for all the others a dread fell on them at the mention of that name.

"The road may lead to Moria, but how can we hope that it will lead _through_ Moria?" said Aragorn pointedly. He knew very well of the orcs and other dangers that were in Moria, and clearly didn't want to go through them. And, for once, Boromir seemed to agree with the Ranger.

"It is a name of ill omen. Nor do I see the need to go there. If we cannot cross the mountains, let us journey southwards, until we come to the Gap of Rohan."

"Things have changed since you came north, Boromir." Said Gandalf with a bit of exasperation, "Did you not just witness Saruman's reach on Caradhras? The Ring must _not_ come near Isengard, if that can by any means be prevented."

With this, Gandalf once more eyed each member of the Fellowship. Even Hattie came under his gaze, making her flinch as he spoke low in warning. "The Gap of Rohan is closed to us while we go with the Bearer. As part of the Ring's Company, we all are in peril. The danger will increase with every league that we go south under the naked sky."

The hobbits looked ready to faint, the reality of their situation finally sinking in for some of them. Boromir looked away from the wizard, though it was obvious he seemed to agree with him finally as he warily eyed the mountain that had just soundly whipped them.

"Then let us vanish from sight for a while and cover our trail!" Spoke up Gimli, "There is even a chance that dwarves are in Moria. However it may prove, one must tread the path that need chooses! I will tread that path with you, Gandalf!"

Gimli, with a bit of flair, placed his axe over his heart as if taking a vow. Hattie, sitting beside him, geeked out a little.

 _Aw! Look at him being all valiant and stuff! He's so adorable!_

"I will go and look on the halls of Durin, whatever may wait there...if you can find the doors that are shut." Finished Gimli, causing the wizard to smile at his zeal.

"You encourage me, Gimli. We will seek the hidden doors together. And I shall see you all come through. It will not be the first time that I have been to Moria. I sought there long for Thráin son of Thrór after he was lost."

"But I don't wish to enter it!" Interjected Pippin, surprising the others.

"Nor me." muttered Sam.

"Of course not!" Huffed Gandalf with some amusement. "Who would? But the question is: who will follow me, if I lead you there?"

The Fellowship members looked to one another, and it was already clear what each thought about going to Moria. But everyone looked hesitant to speak. Hattie just wanted them to vote already so they could get some shut eye. Finally Aragorn sighed heavily, drawing all attention to him.

"I will." He said, and though his voice did not waver, it was clear in his eyes that he did not wish to tread into Moria. But he trusted Gandalf, and that seemed to win over the others for a moment before Boromir spoke up.

"I will _not_ go, not unless the vote of the whole company is against me. What does the seer say?"

Hattie flinched in surprise as everyone turned towards her. _Right_ …they thought she could see the future. They waited, invested, for her to speak. Helplessly she glanced towards Gandalf, but he didn't give her any clues as how to answer. Wolf wasn't about to be any help either, as he had left her side to pace anxiously behind her, his eyes on the darkness that started to envelop them as the sun finally set.

"I don't know about Moria...but I do know that Caradhras is out and so is the Gap of Rohan." Said Hattie hesitantly. Her stating the obvious wasn't exactly the advice everyone was hoping for, and Boromir nearly growled in frustration.

"But do you see danger in Moria? Will we be belayed by some evil if we tread there?"

Hattie, despite herself, chuckled.

"There's danger everywhere! People die of bee stings, bacteria, falling bookcases…hell, I nearly died because of a bit of snow! You got people in Middle-earth who've _literally_ died of sadness! Orcs aren't anything special. I'll take my chances in Moria."

At her little speech, the whole of the Fellowship was giving her the same odd look. She'd guess they thought her crazy, but a few might opt for idiot instead. Gandalf seemed to like her answer though, as he was giving her a sly grin.

"What say the rest of you?" He turned to ask the others.

"I do not wish to go to Moria," said Legolas, his expression disdainful, "It is indeed a black place. Yet…I see no other way."

The hobbits said nothing for a while, although Sam did look to Frodo. They seemed to rest their hope on him, but when Frodo spoke it was the opposite of what they wanted.

"I say we go through the mines."

With that, the matter seemed settled as Boromir chose not to speak out again. Poor guy looked rather dejected as his pride had taken yet another lashing. But Hattie was glad all of this was over with. Finally, _finally_ , she was going to start on the real journey home. The others were not really sharing in her secret joy though. Each of them worried for where they would be heading next. Gandalf's victory seemed a hollow thing for himself, especially considering he knew what would come of it. But what was done was done, and Hattie was glad to be getting a bit of sleep now. She promised herself to be terrified about orcs and the Balrog later.

Hattie went over to her packs and like the others and began to set out her bed roll. Stretching herself out on it, she nearly fell asleep then and there. But when Wolf didn't come over to her, she looked for him and he was still pacing. He looked anxious, his hackles raised.

"What is it boy?" She whispered as she came over to him. Wolf did not stop pacing, his eyes trained on something that lay beyond the reach of the fire's light.

 _'Danger.'_

Hattie stiffened and looked out. The only thing she could see was the dark in the empty space of the night, and the only thing she could hear was the wind through the trees.

"You're gonna have to be more specific."

Wolf didn't have time to clarify. Among the hissing of wind started up another sound. A low, moaning note that made Hattie shiver.

 _Oh. Right. The Fellowship gets attacked by wolves now. The fun never stops here, does it?_

"How the wind howls!" Commented one of the hobbits ironically. Like Wolf and Hattie they had finally picked up on the sound. Legolas and Aragorn were already standing, looking at one another worriedly. Hattie quickly backed away from the dark and closer to the fire. When another wail took up around them, she felt a spike of adrenaline tear through her.

"Gandalf!" Hattie shouted, moving over to her packs, "It's the wolves! They're coming!"

The wizard flew to his feet, tensing at her words. He looked to Legolas, and taking the hint the Woodland Prince leapt on top of one of the higher boulders to survey the dark. His eyes landed on the same patch of night Wolf was watching, and a grim look came over him.

"She speaks true! Wargs have come west of the Mountains!"

This bit of news was not welcome to the Fellowship, who looked out into the dark fearfully. From where he stood, poor Bill the pony stared to shake and sweat. A chorus of wails took up around them, making each and every one of them shudder.

"How far is Moria?" Boromir asked, suddenly a lot more eager to reach it.

"There was a door south-west of Caradhras, some fifteen miles as the crow flies, and maybe twenty as the wolf runs," answered Gandalf cryptically.

"Oh, that's real cheery." Hattie muttered to herself, packing up her belongings.

"A journey too far to make in the dark. Let us start as soon as it is light tomorrow, if we can," said Boromir gravely. "The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears."

"True!" said Aragorn, taking his sword from its sheath, "But where the warg howls, there also the orc prowls."

"Enough of the rhyming!" Shouted Hattie, turning towards Gandalf, "Are we going to start running or not?!"

The wizard, with a glance to the others about him, shook his head solemnly.

"We cannot go out into the night, not with the company so weary. We shall defend ourselves here if necessary. It may be the wolves will not be bold enough to come any closer, if luck will hold."

Hattie groaned to herself and sat down on a rock, head in her hands.

"This Fellowship is the opposite of luck!"

It seemed Aragorn was not going to count on luck though. He talked lowly with Legolas, Boromir, and Gimli, and each then took positions around the hill. They were armed and ready, though the hobbits and Hattie were encouraged to stay closer to the fire beside Gandalf. Their wide eyes glanced about the dark, fearful and unblinking. No one felt like sleeping any more, not as the howls became notably closer and closer with each passing minute. Legolas kept watch, and after several hours of Hattie pretending she wasn't panicking he informed them that the wolves would be upon them within moments. The elf already had his bow drawn back, ready to fire at the first sight of their yellow eyes.

"I wish I had taken Elrond's advice," muttered Pippin to Hattie, his hands trembling, "I am no good after all. There is not enough of the breed of Bandobras the Bullroarer in me. These howls freeze my blood. I don't ever remember feeling so frightened."

"Oh, don't worry. You'll live to see worse things than wargs try to eat you." Hattie said distractedly as she thought she caught a glimpse of something moving in the dark.

"What?" Paled Pippin. Hattie glanced down.

"What?"

"You just said–"

"They come!" Shouted Legolas in warning over the hobbit.

Everyone tensed. All conversation and breathing stopped. No sound could be heard except for Wolf's growls that snarled his face viciously. Hattie held on to her packs, still hoping that Gandalf might at any moment change his mind and they could still make a run for Moria right now. In her fear filled head she couldn't remember what happened during the warg attack besides that obviously everyone lives through it.

 _Everything will be alright. So far, its been like the book and the movie. It will be alright. I'll be alright. I'll be-_

A loud, sharp, _twang_ went off behind Hattie, and a second later an arrow flew past her and the hobbits. It hit something in the dark, and a horrible wailing signaled that Legolas hit something. His disappointed scowl made it clear he did not kill it though. The others turned to face the same direction, and it was finally then they could see what the elf saw as a huge wolf-like… _thing_ , came to the edge of the fire's light. It was a hideous mixture of a hyena and a wolf, its mouth filled with teeth too big to allow it to be closed fully. It let loose a shuddering howl, as if he were a captain summoning his pack to the assault.

Before Legolas could notch another arrow, Gandalf strode forward, holding his staff above his head.

"Listen, Hound of Sauron!" He shouted, "Gandalf is here. Fly, if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout!"

As intimidating as that threat was, the warg wasn't about to listen. He snarled and came towards them with a great leap. Hattie shrieked and tried to get back, but she ended up tripping over Pippin. The two struggled for a moment to stand when Legolas let loose another arrow. The warg fell short of their fire, dead, an arrow lodged in its throat that quickly became bloody.

 _Oh god…oh god…oh god, oh god, oh god!_

Hattie stared at the corpse, lost for words and thought. Pippin managed to help her up the moment before preverbal hell broke loose, and dozens of hidden wargs howled all around them. Grey shapes closed in them from all sides. Aragorn struck at something that passed, drawing blood. Boromir hacked, and a second later a warg's head was at his feet. Everyone moved too fast for Hattie to follow, hacking and slashing and drawing blood. Legolas's bow was practically singing as arrow after arrow were shot out into the dark. Gimli was shouting dwarfish profanities at the ones that came towards him, felling two by cracking his axe through their skulls. Bodies were building up around them, and Hattie began to feel sick at the sight and the terror that was welling up in her.

 _I can't do this. I can't be here! I'm not supposed to be here! I'm supposed to be studying for my final exams or digging in a peaceful grave!_

"Look out!" Someone shouted, and Hattie turned in time to see a warg leap once more towards the fire. This time it landed, and with jaws open, it seized a hobbit. It was Merry, kicking and screaming as the warg started to drag him off by the collar of his cloak. Pippin cried out for his cousin, and without thought ran towards the warg.

"No! Let him go!" He shouted, grabbing for his sword. Faster than anyone would have given him credit for, he slashed the wolf's leg. It still did not let go of Merry, but Sam and Frodo joined Pippin and started to stab the creature over and over.

Hattie, panickedly, stupidly, stood where she was. She couldn't move. Some part of her shouted at her to go help them, but what could she do? She only had a pocket knife! Terror flooded in her as she felt herself in the grips of a panic attack. But soon enough to decision to act was out of her hands as yet another warg made its way past the others. Rather than attack the armed hobbits, it decided for an easier target.

With gaping jaws, the warg snatched Hattie's satchel. It took her a second to react, but then she was screaming her head off as it started to drag the bag as well as her away from the fire. With no other options, she did the only thing she could think of.

She punched it. Right in the nose.

 _This is the weirdest and scariest thing that has ever happened to me!_ Hattie screamed internally as she kept hitting the warg with her fists. The warg looked more annoyed than hurt, but then Hattie went for its eyes. Her thumbs pressed against them, and when she felt the flesh give she drove her fingers into the sockets.

The warg screamed in pain, letting go of Hattie's bag finally and causing her to fall backwards. It clawed and thrashed, jaws snapping blindly. Before it could snatch Hattie again, Wolf jumped in. Without hesitation, he leapt onto the warg's back, and sunk his teeth in. The warg tried to shake Wolf off, but Hattie finally got up and grabbed a large stick, the first thing within her reach. She started hitting the warg, wanting to give Wolf the chance to jump away. But Wolf then shifted himself from on the warg's back to beneath its neck. The much smaller dog adjusted his jaw's grip and crunched down on the exposed throat above him. The warg howled, but it became a gargle as blood filled its mouth. Wolf jumped away then, and within a moment the warg fell to the ground, heaving its last.

Hattie, breathless, looked at her dog – _bloodied teeth and all_ – in astonishment.

 _Wow…good boy._

Armed with her stick, Hattie turned to reunite with the hobbits. They had manage to rescue Merry and were now flocking towards Gandalf. He had been busy with his own three wargs, but now free of them he finally seemed to have had enough. He raised his staff once more, and it appeared to Hattie that he started to grow larger in stature. She felt a thrum of power rise up around him, and she staggered back at the force of it. The wizard rose, menacing like a storm cloud, and as if struck by lightning the end of his staff began to glow. It lit up the whole hill, and the wargs started to back away from the light as he walked towards them.

" _Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan i ngaurhoth!_ " He shouted. (Fire save us! Fire drive back the werewolves!)

There was a roar and a spark, and the tree nearest the wizard burst into blinding flame. It crackled and turned black, and the fire began to leap from tree-top to tree-top. The whole hill was crowned with red light. The swords and knives of the Fellowship flickered, momentarily still as they watched the flames encircle them. Hattie gaped like a fish at this display of magic, but more than astounding, the fire drove the wargs back. They yipped and howled in fright, backing away more when Legolas rained arrow after arrow on them.

Before Aragorn and Boromir could charge forward, the wargs started to retreat. Running, literally, with their tails between their legs. The Fellowship waited for them to return, eyes on the hill they had retreated over. But was the fire upon the trees started to die down until nothing was left but falling ash and sparks, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Even better, as the smoke curled around them the sky lightened as dawn finally came.

Everyone was panting and thankful for the morning. Hattie felt like crying from exhaustion and relief. She was alive! She made it through her first fight! Hattie collapsed where she stood, her head swimming with leftover adrenaline. She might have passed out then and there if Gandalf hadn't spoken up.

"We must reach the doors of Moria before sunset," he said sternly as he pointed south-east of the mountains side towards a line of bare cliffs, "or I fear we shall not reach them at all. Come!"

Hattie groaned. The last thing she wanted was to run twenty miles. She got back up, already sore and dead tired.

 _Great. If wargs don't kill me along the way, then my feet will._

 **~o0o~**

The good weather held for a while, at least until evening started to come their way. By then the Fellowship – _plus Hattie_ – had somehow managed to make their way over to the cliffs of the mountains. Exhaustion no longer was the word to describe how tired everyone was – _except for Legolas, of course._ Hattie had kept with her the stick she had used to beat off the warg. It was long and sturdy enough for her to use it as a walking stick, though by now she was practically putting all her weight on it, shuffling along with the hobbits.

As the sun started to set, a grey fog came about them. It was bad timing, as they were now scrambling over barren rocks that pressed them to the cliff's edge. Gimli had actually taken the lead a long time ago, walking alongside Gandalf and talking with him about their route. They both paused for a while when a stream that ran out from the feet of the cliffs.

"The Sirannon…perhaps only a few miles now." Gimli muttered, and Hattie smiled to hear it. She went up to the water's edge, washing off the blood that had crusted on her face. Wolf followed suit, practically diving in, which troubled Hattie. She couldn't think why until she remembered something about the water.

 _Oh, god…the squid thing. The Watcher…_

"Wolf!" She nearly screamed, "Get out of the water now!"

"Miss Hattie? Are you alright?" Asked Frodo from beside her, he and the others had also gathered on the bank to drink and rub their faces clean. Hattie ignored their stares as Wolf reluctantly got out of the water and shook himself.

 _Of all the fictional places I could have been sucked into…it had to be the one with wargs, goblins, wizards, squids, and orcs…at this rate the Hunger Games series is probably safer…_

"Oh, just dandy." Hattie finally answered Frodo, looking down at him sternly, "And don't go near the water, okay? Keep away from it."

The hobbit gave her an odd look, but he thankfully didn't have time to ask for clarification as Gandalf stood up.

"Frodo, come and help an old man!"

The hobbit left Hattie with a nod to go towards the wizard, who once more led the Fellowship on. Hattie debated telling him what she knew, but decided against it for now. It looked like he and Frodo were having a serious talk, and she didn't want to interrupt.

They rounded a bend, and there the path veered between a steep cliff face and a set of stairs. Gimli sprinted up them quickly, facing the grey wall that rose before them, blocking the last rays of the sun. His eyes widened.

"The Walls...of Moria!" He breathed reverently.

They moved faster now, their goal in sight. The Fellowship reached the strip of dry land between the lake and the wall. It was narrow, often hardly a dozen yards across, and littered with fallen stones. In the murky water, stumps and dead boughs were rotting in the shallows, making everything needlessly creepier. Hattie hugged her stick to her and moved up the line to get closer to Gandalf, feeling safer walking behind him. She mulling over how to delicately warn them about the squid thing, when Pippin anxiously spoke up.

"So...where is the door?"

"Hidden. Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli answered. He was following along the wall, testing it with the tip of his axe. He would tap and listen, trying to detect a hollowness behind the stone.

"Yes, Gimli." Gandalf grinned, before explaining to the others, "Here was the elven way, the West door made chiefly for their use in traffic with the Lords of Moria. Those were happier days, but when the friendship closed not even the dwarves could find the door and its secrets were forgotten."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas snidely said to himself. Gimli, in front of him, turned to the elf with a growl.

"If you have something to say, _elf_ , then best say it to my face."

"Shall I kneel then? Or shall we find you a tree stump to stand on?" Legolas smirked mischievously down at the dwarf. Gimli's grip on his axe handle tightened, but Hattie, in front of them, rolled her eyes.

"Guys, quit it. You sound like an old married couple."

Legolas looked at her like she had just slapped him. Gimli started sputtering angrily, but before either could react, Gandalf called back to them.

"Miss O'Connor speaks true. Come, Legolas and Gimli, be at peace and come help me. I need you both. The doors are shut and hidden, and the sooner we find them the better. Night is at hand!"

Hattie watched the elf and dwarf, both glaring daggers at one another, as they did as the wizard asked. The others followed after them slowly as Gimli would tap the stones of the wall and he and Legolas both would listen. Gandalf himself felt the stones, looking for ruins no doubt. After about a half an hour of this, they came near a pair of large holly trees. In between them seemed to be the very thing Gandalf was looking for, because he started to mutter excitedly.

"Yes. Yes, this is it. Now, let's see..." He traced the lines of the stones reverently, before turning from them to the moon that now rose above them, "Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight."

On cue, the moon shone brighter upon the grey face of the rock. Slowly on the surface where Gandalf's hands passed, faint lings appeared. Like slender veins of silver, they were at first thread thin, so fine that they only twinkled. But steadily they grew broader and clearer, until the shape of a door stood before them. Hattie's eyes went big at the sight of it, and she found herself stepping closer. She was absolutely entranced, and her inner scholar itched with excitement.

 _Ah, man. I could so write a winning dissertation on this._

"It reads: The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter." Gandalf interpreted for the others. Hattie only half heard him, as she was already diving into her bag for her notebook and pen, hating that her phone was dead and she couldn't take any pictures.

"What d'you suppose that means?" Merry frowned curiously.

"Oh, it's quite simple." Gandalf said confidently, "If you are a friend, you speak the password, and the doors will open."

Hattie snorted a laugh, catching Boromir's attention, but by now she had her notebook out and was sketching the door of Moria. Gandalf, with a gesture of grandeur, opened his arms up and held his staff aloft.

 _"Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen!"_ (Gate of the Elves, open now for us!) His voice boomed. Everyone looked at the door in silence, expecting some great show of magic that would open it. But when nothing happened, Gandalf shifted a little closer and tried again.

 _"Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen!"_ (Doorway of the Dwarf-folk listen to the word of my tongue!)

Again, nothing happened. With a huff Gandalf actually tried to open the door with his hands. The others glanced at one another, uncertain now. Gandalf muttered to the door for a while, trying to pry it open this way and that. With a huff he stepped down.

"I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves...men...and orcs." He sighed to himself in frustration. Pippin, blessed with poorly timed questions, spoke up.

"What are you going to do, then?"

 **"** Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" Gandalf barked, his eyes glinting under their bristling brows, "And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words."

Pippin, cowed, looked down at his feet crestfallen. The expression on his face was heartbreaking to Hattie, and she started shouting before she even knew what she was going to say.

"Hey! There's no call to be so mean! You...you Dumbledore!" She stammered, earning her a few odd looks. Gandalf shook his head and ignored her to stomp away to sit on a nearby boulder, muttering angrily to himself. Hattie though was feeling satisfied, and gave Pippin smile which he returned.

 _There. I said it. And yes, I do feel better._

Though everyone was disappointed in the failure to open the doors right away, they took advantage of their first rest all day. Hattie sat herself down nearby to the hobbits, who were rubbing their giant, sore feet. She kept sketching the door, scribbling notes on the margins from the translations Gandalf told them, to the holly trees the bordered it. She couldn't quite name why she felt the need to record it, but it was more than a happy distraction. Besides, it was pretty awesome.

While most of the others rested while Gandalf pondered the door's password, Aragorn had set himself to the task of unloading Bill. When Sam finally took notice of it, he instantly came over. He watched the ranger for a moment, sorting the load the pony carried into things they would leave behind or take.

"Strider?"

"The mines are no place for a pony. Even one so brave as Bill." Aragorn explained, and Sam knew what he meant. He ran over to Bill, holding onto his reins for dear life.

"But you can't leave poor old Bill behind in this forsaken place, Strider!" He cried, angry and distressed. "I won't have it, and that's flat. After he has come so far and all!"

"I am sorry, Sam," spoke up Gandalf when the ruckus came to his attention, "But when the door opens I do not think you will be able to drag your Bill inside. The paths will be to narrow and steep for him."

Sam shook his head, becoming a bit teary eyed.

"He'd follow me into a dragon's den if I led him! And it'd be nothing short of murder to turn him loose with all these wolves about."

The wizard sighed. He stood up, and walked over to Sam and the pony. Hattie would bet Sam was getting ready to fight Gandalf himself to keep the pony at his side, and she felt herself get a little emotional. She and the other hobbits stood up, standing behind Aragorn wondering what would happen next as Gandalf stroked the pony's long face.

"Go with words of guard and guiding on you," He then whispered something to Bill before smiling at the compassionate hobbit, "There, Sam! He will have quite as much chance of escaping wolves and getting home as we have."

Sam looked up at the wizard, and then to Bill. Bill, seeming to understand what was going on, nuzzled up to him. Sam burst into tears then, and fumbled with the straps before he slipped off the pony's reins and threw them on the ground.

"Bye-bye, Bill." He said lovingly, and Hattie felt her heart breaking. She wasn't the only one, as the other hobbits strode over and patted the pony goodbye. Hattie even sniffled as she waved Bill goodbye as he started to turn and walk away. Wolf even whined a little to see him go, and then Hattie really started crying.

 _God damn it! I did not sign up to get emotionally invested over a pony!_

Satisfied, Gandalf went back to his rock. He lit his pipe and once more tackled the problem of the door. Aragorn rallied the others to continue sorting the load Bill left behind, but when Hattie came over to help he took her aside.

"Now, Miss O'Connor, about your hound..."

 _Uh-oh._

Hattie instantly stiffened.

"What about him?"

"I fear it will not be wise to allow such a creature in the mines with us."

"Why not?"

"If he were to startle at some sound and bay, he may well bring down the whole of the orcs within the Mountains upon us."

"No he wouldn't!" Hattie bristled, kneeling down to hold onto Wolf as if Aragorn was going to take him away from her. The ranger shook his head, trying to think of a way to make her see logic. Boromir, seeing his struggle, came over to help him with the irrational Hattie who started to tear up.

"Miss Hattie, see reason. There will be nothing for him to hunt in the mines, and we have not enough rations-"

"No! I'm not leaving him behind!" She shouted over Boromir. To them, having Wolf left behind would only be a temporary parting, perhaps reuniting once the missions was complete. But Hattie was going back to her world when they got to Lothlorien, and that would mean Wolf would stay in Middle-earth forever. That she was _not_ having. He was her only family at the moment, and more than that, she needed him. He was the only thing keeping her sane!

At her side, Wolf started to growl.

 _'Worry not. I will not let them separate us.'_

"Miss Hattie, it will be alright. Wolf can go with Bill." Sam, his tears now dry, said in hopes of making Hattie feel better. She wasn't about to budge, and looked over to Gandalf for help. He was lost in thought again though, puffing his pipe and practically glaring at the door into Moria. She was about to yell at him to intervene, when Aragorn stepped closer.

"Fuck off! You just try and take him from me! I dare you!" Hattie turned to snarl at him, lifting her stick at him threateningly even though it shook in her hands. At her words, Wolf started to bare his teeth, his growls growing louder. It wasn't really helping their case, but it was clear to everyone that separating the pair of them would not be easy. Hattie tried to think of a way to convince Aragorn to let Wolf stay, when to her surprise Legolas stepped in between her and the ranger.

 _"Estel, mankoi ú?"_ (Estel, why not?) He spoke softly in elvish before switching over to Common, "The beast has proven loyal to her. If she asked of it, I should not wonder if the _draug_ would remain silent for the rest of his days."

He turned then, looking down at Hattie and Wolf. The smile he wore was kind and sympathetic, and for a second Hattie felt her heart flutter at the sight of it. It sobered her up enough to help her lip stop trembling, and she stood herself back up.

"More besides, he is her only protection." Legolas turned back to Aragorn, "Would you take that comfort from her?"

Aragorn looked between Hattie and the elf. Lost, he looked to Boromir, but he only shrugged. As his now seemed to be the only objection, Aragorn sighed in defeat.

"Very well. The hound may go with us." He conceded before giving Hattie a stern look, "But he must eat from only your rations."

Hattie nodded vigorously, willing to do anything at this point to keep Wolf. The small crowd that had gathered around them dispersed, but not before Aragorn gave a sly look towards Legolas. The elf frowned at it, but shook his head and was about to walk away too when Hattie reached out to him.

"Wait, uh…" She hesitated, at a loss for words, "Um…thank you."

 _"Lle creoso."_ (You're welcome) Legolas said nonchalantly, but Hattie stepped closer. She put all her sincerity into her expression as she dared herself to meet his eyes.

"No, really, I owe you one."

"Truly?" He tilted his head curiously, looking her over in surprise. A rather devious smirk came over him then, making Hattie gulp. "Then I shall hold you to that."

Legolas left her then, making Hattie a mess of confusion and emotion after her confrontation with Aragorn. At least she would be able to keep Wolf with her, even if she was now indebted to an elf. Drained emotionally, Hattie went back over to where she left her notebook, wanting this day to be over with already. She sat herself down on a rock near the door that Gandalf was once more muttering at angrily. Hattie, no longer in the mood for notetaking, put her notebook away.

She sat there, protectively patting Wolf's head, when Pippin started to throw rocks at the lake. Tensing, she remembered the squid-thing - _fuck, how could she forget about that?!_ \- and was about to tell him to stop when Aragorn did. Hattie bit her lip, knowing things had been set in motion. Aragorn, with Boromir coming up beside him, now watched a strange ripple in the lake that started to move closer to the shore. Hattie's eyes grew as wide as dish plates.

 _Nope. Nope. That is a lot of nope._

She turned to Gandalf, wondering how to tell him to hurry up, when the wizard threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Oh, it's useless." He sighed, coming over to sit beside Hattie. Despite the circumstances, Hattie had to grin.

"Want me to give you a hint?"

"Am I to understand that _you_ know the password?" The wizard glared at her skeptically. Figuring this was his way of asking for a clue, she gave him one.

"Not so much a password as a _riddle_." She enunciated heavily, glancing sideways at Frodo. She caught his eye, but he only frowned in confusion at her. At her side, Gandalf sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Miss Hattie, now I see how others view me. I find your assistance to be more irksome than helpful."

Hattie snorted a laugh, causing the wizard to give her an unamused look.

"Wait, a riddle!" Spoke up Frodo, standing up and walking closer to the door, "Speak friend and enter! What's the elvish word for friend?"

Gandalf's eyebrows lifted themselves past the brim of his hat as he realized what the hobbit was getting at. With a suddenness that startled them all the wizard sprang to his feet and joined Frodo's side.

"Of course, of course!" He laughed, "Absurdly simple, like most riddles when you see the answer."

Picking up his staff he stood before the door and said in a clear voice, " _Mellon!"_

Something in the mountain shook. A fissure parted the door in half. Slowly it divided in the middle and swung outwards inch by inch, until it was open. The Fellowship gathered nearer to it, staring into the dark steps it revealed. It was blacker than the night around them, and despite their previous eagerness to enter it, the Fellowship could only now stare in wonder.

It was Gimli who finally stepped forward. The others quickly shook themselves from their stupor, Aragorn and Boromir picking up what few packs they were going to bring with them. Hattie held her stick to her, glancing back at the lake before following after the hobbits. Carefully, cautiously, they crept inside.

"Soon, elf, you will enjoy the famous hospitality of the dwarves!" Boasted Gimli loudly as Legolas followed after him, "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone! My cousin Balin will be glad to share his home. And they call it a mine. A mine!"

Hattie blindly glanced around in the dark, hearing Wolf sniffing the air only to snort at something foul. Both he and Hattie stiffened though as they heard an ominous splash. She turned, trying to urge the hobbits further away from the door, but they only stood there in awe. The faint light of the moon entered into the chamber after the Fellowship did, lighting the way a little. And what little it revealed was not comforting.

Corpses, decayed and withered, were _everywhere_. They had been dwarves, that was for sure, clinging still to the weapons that lay in their hands. Gimli cried out, looking from one shrunken face to another as if he knew them. The hobbits looked ready to faint, tripping some of the bones as they began to back away.

"This is no mine. It's a tome…" Boromir uttered in horror. Hattie, personally, didn't think it was _that_ bad.

 _I mean, sure, it leaves a lot to be desired. But a bunch of skeletons are a typical day at work for me._

Legolas knelt beside one of the corpses, grabbing an arrow from it. He examined the point with a scowl.

"Orcs!"

"We make for the gap a Rohan." Boromir said, and this time no one objected to it. He turned back, and the others were quick to follow him. But in that moment, several things happened. First, Hattie had a gut reaction.

"No, wait! There's-"

Then, she fucked up. Her foot caught on one of the bodies and she ended up tripping and falling flat on her face. By the time she picked herself up, Frodo was already screaming as something grabbed a hold of his ankle. He fell back with a cry, and hobbits crowded around him to help. Sam unseathed his sword, calling for Aragorn before running to cut at the thing that had a hold of his friend. He manged to slice through it, causing the sinuous tentacle to retreat in pain. Hattie had recovered by that time and in the brief second she had to react she tried to reach the hobbits and help.

 _Wait...how? All I've got is a stick! Besides, everything will turn out to be alri-_

A flurry of tentacles sprang from the water. Sam, Merry, and Pippin were thrust away from Frodo, while Hattie took a smack to the nose. She immediately tasted blood as she fell onto her back. Frodo started to scream louder as the serpentine like arm twisted him up into the air, dangling him like a poor worm on a hook. By this time the others had come over, Legolas taking aim at the tentacle while Boromir and Aragorn charged towards the water. With little resistance, Hattie was dragged away from the entrance by Gimli as Gandalf herded the other hobbits back inside for safety. Wolf took it a step further by grabbing onto Hattie's sleeve with his teeth, dragging her further back into the dark and up the stairs. She called out to the hobbits and Gimli, and they scrambled to join her as Gandalf went back for the others.

From their retreat, Hattie and company couldn't really see what was happening, but Frodo was still screaming and that was enough. The water of the lake was frothing and churning, some of the waves created by the Watcher spilling inside of the door. A hiss, like a snake, sang along to Frodo's shouts for help. Several hacks could be heard, the work of Aragorn and Boromir, until Frodo finally fell into the latter's arms.

"Into the mines!" Gandalf shouted at those outside once Frodo was freed. They sloshed their way through the water, hurrying as the Watcher, with its hideous face now raised for all to view, crawled after them.

"Legolas!" Called out Boromir, and at the command in his voice the elf took aim at the Watcher's eye. It groaned, falling back in pain, giving everyone the chance to run back inside the door.

"Up the stairs! Quick!" shouted Gandalf, still running. The others followed him to join Hattie and company, and a good thing too as the Watcher had recovered and was at the door. It dragged its body over it, twisting its tentacles around the holly trees for support. It was trying to scramble after them, but the weight of its heavy body was too much. The trees, the door, and the section of wall above could not take it, and started to collapse. With a shattering echo the archway slammed down, and all light was lost.

From all around her in the dark, Hattie could hear the heavy pants of the Fellowship.

"What was that?" Boromir asked no one in particular.

"One nasty son of a bitch, that's what!" Hattie swore as she touched her nose, hissing at the tenderness. It was a little crooked, a sure sign it was broken. Wolf whined at her side at the pained sound, so Hattie patted his head to assure him it wasn't all that bad. She hoped.

"We now have but one choice." Spoke Gandalf, and a light flickered for a moment as the stone of his staff started to glow. Striking it against the ground hard, the staff's light sparked brighter, creating enough light to see the way by. "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things that orcs in the deep places of the world."

"Well…this just keeps getting better and better." Groaned Hattie to herself. Silently, the Fellowship - _plus Hattie_ \- filed themselves after Gandalf. Legolas glanced back from his position behind the wizard, looking at the faces of the others briefly. When his eyes landed on Hattie's he grimaced at the blood which trickled from her broken nose. Hattie frowned at the look of pity.

 _Great. This is the last thing my self-confidence needs._

"Quietly now." Gandalf said in a hushed voice as he began to ascend the stairs, "It is a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed..."

 **~o:0:o~**

Haha, poor Hattie! Broken nose and gashed forehead. Not to mention she probably hasn't had a bath in three days by now. Honestly though, she's going to be a ball of stress and nerves for a while, as not many take to being thrust into a world of violence and monsters swimmingly (ha, see what I did there? No? Okay...). Anyway, I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter! Join Hattie next time as she and the Fellowship travel through the dark of Moria, and Hattie's nightmares, and reality, only get worse...


	10. This Mine Has Really Great Acoustics

**Chapter 10; This Mine Has Really Great A** **coustics** **:**

Uh...hi? Is anyone there? Listen, I know it's been a while, but I really do have a good excuse for why I've been gone so long. See, I got stuck trying to figure out the plot to the rest of this fic, getting in too deep to the Tolkien lore that I became unhappy with where I was taking the story. And then, because I was unhappy, I rewrote this stinking chapter _**FOUR TIMES!**_ Drove me crazy that I couldn't get past it. And then, on top of that, I went to Africa for volunteer work and then after did my usual Girl Scout Camp thing where I teach little girls how _not_ to flip their canoe, which is always fun. Plus! I am starting Grad school soon too, so I've been busy for that. Also, the muse came in and told me to work on some other projects that distracted me from coming back to this.

So...you guys forgive me?

*immediate barrage of arrows*

Yipe! Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I really wanted to come back sooner! But I got stuck! I'm just as mad at myself as you guys are.

Well, maybe not, but still! I am really sorry but I want you all to know I read all your comments and they worked like the dickens in guilt-tripping me to get off my lazy butt and get back to this story! Because you know what, now that I have worked out the kinks and twists for this story (spoilers...there's a twist), I am really excited for this story. I mean, I don't know why so many of you already love this story even though we're only nine chapters in, but I feel the love for it and for Hattie and Wolf, whom you all seem to really like. I promise to continue their adventure with more effort to at _least_ publish once a month.

With much love, and a lot of regret for leaving you all hanging, read on dearies! This chapter is extra long because you all are extra special!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

"No! Don't!" Hattie protested, trying to squirm away from the hands that reached for her. Wolf whined, pacing back and forth beside her in worry. Aragorn, who Hattie was trying to escape from, sighed in exasperation.

"Miss O'Connor, it must be done." He said, trying to urge the terrified woman to remain seated on the boulder.

It had been just a few minutes since the excitement of the Watcher and the collapse of the Doors of Moria, and the group had not made it very far into the mines before Sam alerted Strider that Frodo was hurt. It was not bad in all consideration, but the minor cuts he had needed tending to, and so the Fellowship stopped. After his treatment of the hobbit, Aragorn went around to the others, inspecting them for wounds. Besides Frodo, it was only Hattie was unlucky enough to gain his attention. He inspected the cut on her forehead, deeming it healed enough now to go without a bandage, but when it came to her nose...

"W-what if I like it this way?" Hattie muttered, covering her broken nose so Aragorn couldn't get at it. The whole of the Fellowship was surrounding the two of them, seemingly ready to tackle Hattie if she tried to run away.

"You'd like your nose to heal crooked?" Boromir lifted an incredulous brow at her.

Hattie tried to answer, but the obvious left her silent. She glanced to Wolf for help.

 _'He has a point.'_ The dog snorted comfortingly at her.

"It…gives it character?" Came Hattie's hesitant, last shot, reply.

The sympathy of the others did not change, and Hattie's fear of pain caved in to her dread of looking like Iago. She nodded her consent, and sat down on the boulder. She was incredibly nervous, the same kind of nervous some people got when faced with a needle. Hattie almost preferred it to what she knew would come next.

"Remain still." Aragorn instructed before kneeling before her. He placed his hands on either side of her nose, his fingers forming a triangle around it. As he pressed them snugly to her nose, Hattie's eyes started watering up on reflex. She had only a second to breathe in before Aragorn dragged his hands down in a straight line quickly, snapping her nose firmly back into place.

"GAHFUCK!" Hattie reeled away from him, vision blurry with the pain and hot tears.

"Hush, Miss O'Connor. Remember where we are." Aragorn chided as he inspected his work, turning her face this way and that. He grunted to himself and stood up, satisfied. It took Hattie a few moments to recover until the pain subsided to a dull sting. She risked touching her nose again and, while it hurt less, she couldn't tell if it looked any better.

"Am I pretty again?" Hattie looked towards the hobbits, trying to sound concerned. Sam and Frodo immediately avoided making eye contact with her, and Merry scratched the back of his head uncomfortably.

"Well..."

Hattie huffed as she stood up.

"Don't all talk at once."

A few chuckles echoed around her, but with everyone tended to, it was time to get going.

The Fellowship - plus Hattie - started up the long and winding stairs once more. Hattie walked in the middle of the group with the hobbits, placed there for their protection should anything try to come at them from the front or back. Hattie didn't mind that she kept getting lumped in with them, because by all rights she was more helpless than they were. At least they had swords and a bit of training under their belts. So far, all she had was one lesson in axe throwing and the big stick that she picked up back when the wargs attacked.

 _But it's a good stick. Sure, it's got a knot that looks like an old man's face and the bark is a bit itchy and...is that warg blood?_

At least she had Wolf. She didn't know what she would have done if Aragorn forced her to leave him behind.

Without even thinking, Hattie glanced back at the elf who had fallen back with Boromir. He walked silently, his cautious eyes taking in every shadow around them. Legolas was the reason Wolf was still with her, and while she was grateful to him, it left Hattie a bit confused. Why did he stand up for her? It couldn't be that he liked her all that much, or Wolf for that matter. Of the Fellowship, she talked with him the least, the two of them not really having anything to say to one another after she apologized. Sure, he taught her how to throw an axe and held her when she faced frostbite, but that was hardly the beginnings of friendship...

Hattie's thoughts were interrupted when Legolas returned her stare. In the dark, his eyes seemed to be all the brighter, piercing her. It was Legolas who broke the contact first however, his gaze flickering to her nose before going back to observing their surroundings.

 _Oh, god. The hobbits are right. I'm hideous!_

Hattie reached around for her backpack, remembering her compact mirror and flashlight. The first time she had used her 'magic torch' around the others, there were some 'ohs' and 'ahs' and 'what devilry is this?!' from them, but the hype around it had died some time ago. Hattie switched it on and opened the mirror, dreading to have everything she feared confirmed. And when she held up the mirror and illuminated her face, they were.

 _Yup...I look fucked up._

She really did. Her nose was already bruising, turning different shades of red and blue in the unflattering light of her flashlight. It was straight at least, but combined with her greasy hair, her shallow complexion, and the red in her eyes from lack of sleep, Hattie felt her self-confidence take a nose dive. The star-shaped gash on her forehead didn't make things any better, though it might leave behind a cool scar at least. She groaned and put away the mirror, promising herself that she would never look at her reflection ever again.

 _'Do no fret. You merely need rest and time to heal.'_ Wolf comforted, and Hattie let out a tired chuckle.

 _Thanks, but beauty sleep can only fix so much..._

The company walked on, promised by Gandalf that they would rest a little once they were out of danger. What with the commotion the Walker caused when it tore down the Door of Moria, they wanted to get as far away from that place as possible. In the silence that pressed down all around them, the slightest noise might attract whatever enemies may be listening. For that reason, each member of the company walked as silently and as inconspicuously as they could. Sam even took the precaution of making sure the pots and pans on his pack would not clank against one another as he moved. When someone did speak, it was in whispers, hushed and hurried. The hobbits were practically a buzz, muttering amongst themselves to calm their nerves and asking Gimli all sorts of questions which he proudly answered. Hattie listened in halfheartedly, her mind focused on the shadows that the dim light of Gandalf's staff cast.

Any second now, she felt sure something would jump out of the dark and attack. The way her heart raced, it seemed more like a fact than a fear.

She knew, of course, that they would be safe until the last day of their crossing, but that didn't comfort her any. Her nerves were on edge. This place was as Gimli said - The Black Pit. They were surrounded on all sides by jagged walls of rock, though the paths and stairs they walked were worn smooth that they seemed polished. There were hundreds of nooks and turns on the path they took, and Hattie had to wonder how Gandalf could remember which way to go as he led them slowly on. He guided them over a long and crooked trail, winding their way higher and higher through narrow passages, lofty archways, and worst of all, suspended walkways that hovered over miles of darkness. Hattie wasn't afraid of heights - at least, she didn't think so - but she held onto Wolf's collar as they walked over it.

 _'Not so tight, if you please.'_

 _Oh, right. Sorry. Just it seems like poor planning to me that this thing doesn't have at least a handrail or something._

Hattie did as Wolf asked, but couldn't find the resolve to calm herself. The Watcher and wargs were one thing, but this place...this place was like something she had nightmares about as a little girl. The kind where she would get lost in the dark and be chased by something that wanted to eat her, and would nearly succeed before she woke up crying. But this was so much, _much_ worse.

"Frodo," Spoke Gandalf ahead, disrupting Hattie's thoughts, "I would ask that you keep a wary eye on Sting. Its glimmering will warn us if enemies are near."

Everyone glanced to Frodo, and the hobbit nodded solemnly.

 _Oh, yeah. Magic sword. Wish I had one._

Hattie supposed she felt a little better knowing that they would have an early alarm in case something tried to sneak up on them, but the Sting only glowed when there were orcs around. And there were a lot worse things in these caves than orcs...they only had a few more days left before everything went to hell. Orcs, trolls, Balrogs...

Hattie tried not to think on it. The suspended bridge they walked soon changed into a tunnel, forcing the tallest of the company to crouch down in order to fit in. Hattie snickered to see the Legolas look awkward for once as he had to bend in half to fit, and Aragorn actually bumped his head, hissing a string of swears in Elvish.

This distraction didn't last long however, as when they finally made it out of the passage a large chamber opened up to them. The air was stale and putrid, and all along the stone walls were hammers and pickaxes hung up on pegs. It seemed to Hattie to be a mining supply store room, and as fascinating as that was, the corpses strewn about the ground were what really caught everyone's attention.

There were four of them, shrunken and crumpled in on themselves. They were scattered about the room, arrows sticking out of their chests like porcupine quills. Hattie felt a thrill of curiosity go through her when she noticed how disturbingly _fresh_ they looked - which for the others was a very large concern.

 _Never seen bodies that looked like that before...Oh! That one's even missing its head!_

Immediately the Fellowship pressed closer together.

"What happened here?" Whispered Boromir, already reaching for the hilt of his sword.

"Orc attack." Answered Gimli with a snarl, "Remember, my cousin Balin had come here some years ago to rid Moria of the beasts and reclaim our ancestral home. Perhaps this was an unsuccessful advance…or an ambush."

Nervously, the Fellowship glanced towards Frodo once more. Taking the hint, he slide Sting out of its sheath to see if it was glowing. They all breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw its dull color. They all turned back to the bodies, a little more relaxed but still just as wary.

"How long have they been here?" Asked Pippin fretfully. Aragorn was about to answer and put the hobbit at ease, when Hattie beat him to it.

"Don't let their appearances fool you. They've been dead longer than they look. I'd say between two or two and a half years. It's probably the dry air in here. It and the lack of scavengers preserved the bodies remarkably, almost mummifying them." She announced as she knelt down to one corpse nearby.

Its skin was dry and brittle, causing its mouth to gape open in a never-ending scream. Seemed fitting given the way he died. Touching the chain mail on its chest, she saw several, frenzied stab marks. It wasn't the first time she'd seen a murder - people didn't exactly lead peaceful lives back in Medieval England - but this one had died so recently and painfully. Given the position he was in, Hattie deduced that after being stabbed he lived long enough to try and crawl towards the tunnel before bleeding out, probably trying to go for help...

 _Okay. At first this was cool, but now it's just depressing._

"Miss Hattie! Don't touch it!" Gawked Pippin in disgust. This caught the attentions of a few others, and they sent Hattie some odd looks. Gimli in particular looked a bit affronted, probably seeing as how these might be his relatives and all.

"What? Archaeologist, remember? I've seen worse." She shrugged, standing and dusting off her leggings before chuckling, "This one time when I did an internship in high school, I got to see a corpse that had suffered scaphism. That's an ancient form of torture where the condemned would be stripped naked, fastened between two rowboats, covered from head to toe in milk, honey, feces and fed the same, and then pushed out onto stagnant water and exposed to the sun. That's when insects would find them and start burrowing into-"

"Yes, _thank you_ , Miss O'Connor." Interrupted Gandalf with a cough when it looked like Sam was about to retch, "I will say it does hearten to know that some time has passed since this place had seen battle. Perhaps then we stand a chance to avoid one ourselves."

With that, the Fellowship - plus Hattie - continued. Hattie moved herself towards the back of the group though. She was feeling a tad embarrassed, and only grunted something unintelligible when Pippin asked her if she foresaw how much longer it would be until they rested. Oh, sure, when it came to the future they loved hearing what she had to say. But she couldn't predict anything, not even the weather! She just read some books, that didn't make her special. But her passion for learning, her ability to look at a corpse and not gag, and the freckles on her now broken nose did. She wasn't a seer! She was a nerd and a hipster! But did they appreciate that? _No!_

 _Okay, stop ranting. They don't have to like you. It's not like we're going to be best buddies or something after this. Hell, not even they do. Legolas says like maybe two words to Frodo in the whole of the trilogy. So..._

Hattie was shaken out of her thoughts when the path they took from the mining supply room opened up into a shaft. It had been hollowed out long ago, mined by the picks and hammers that now lay idle alongside coils of rope and baskets. They followed it for a while, but then it further opened up into a long cavern. Miles above and below them were exposed, with ladders and wooden walkways forming an impossible vertical maze. They slowly traveled along a stone edge that had been carved out, ducking under and over the ladders. Wolf snorted as Hattie once more grabbed at his collar.

 _Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down, don't look down, don't look down, don't look down, don't look down, don't-_

Ahead of them, Gandalf slowed, running a hand over the smoothed wall they followed. The others behind him paused as he traced a silvery vein. Hattie's gloom disappeared as she recognized the glimmer.

"The wealth of Moria was not in gold or jewels, but mithril…" Announced Gandalf.

He turned from the wall and, lowering his shining staff, illuminated the other veins that ran through the cavern. A soft glow started below them, entrancing and ethereal. The Fellowship stepped closer to the edge, their wonder filled faces brightened by the mithril. Even Legolas looked impressed by the sight, and the hobbits were fairly hypnotized by it. Merry stepped closer to the edge and Hattie had a gut reaction when she saw that he was leaning too far forward. She grabbed his arm and gently pulled him back an instant before Pippin could. Merry looked up at her curiously, but seeing the concern on her face he smiled up at her sheepishly.

 _No hobbits falling to their death on my watch. No sir._

"Bilbo had a shirt of mithril rings that Thorin gave him." Continued Gandalf as they walked on. From behind him, Gimli gasped.

"Oh! What a kingly gift!" He said reverently.

"Yes." Agreed the wizard, glancing slyly back at Frodo, "I never told him, that its wealth was greater than that of the Shire…"

Hours passed. By now it was sometime approaching mid-day, but in the dark it was impossible to tell. The last twenty-four hours - the storm, the wargs, the Watcher - had long since caught up with them and left them all dead tired. Hattie's head started to feel heavy and loll to one side, and she actually blacked out for a few seconds and the next thing she knew the hobbits were herding her back in line after she nearly rammed herself into a wall. Not that any of them were doing better. Even Legolas looked _slightly_ less than perfect and there were no less than two hairs out of place on his head.

 _Somehow, it only makes him look more handsome in a careless kind of way. Damn it._

Eventually, when Hattie thought she couldn't take it anymore, the mining path they walked led into a cavernous chamber. It had a smooth stone floor with high reaching columns scattered about. Time had caused a few to fall and break, but the most interesting feature was a huge reservoir filled dark water. Hattie thought immediately of a tailings dam, which were often used to store byproducts of mining after separating out ore. All along its wide embankment were more fallen columns, creating a bit of a maze to make it all the way to the water.

It was here, finally, that Gandalf stopped.

"We should rest here for a short time. We have had a weary day and would benefit from a meal and a brief couple of winks." He announced, and the company breathed a sigh of relief.

"Of that, I agree with!" Smiled Pippin, "Boromir, how about a fire, huh?"

No doubt the hobbit was thinking of a warm meal, as the temperature in Moria was surprisingly warm.

 _Probably because we're so deep in the earth. That, and I bet the Balrog sort of acts like a furnace. Being made of fire and all that._

But before the remaining faggots of wood could be gathered, Gandalf shook his head.

"No. No fire. Not in this foul place."

"Why not?" Frowned Pippin.

"We are still too near the Gate for my liking, and I fear the smoke will give off too strong a scent that will allow whatever creatures the commotion attracted closer to us."

"Smoke is the least of our problems." Hattie snorted as she laid out her bed roll, "I mean, don't you guys ever bathe?"

She was eyeing Aragorn's greasy hair when she said this, but it was Boromir who looked ashamed for the state of his hygiene.

"We have done without washing for some time."

" _Some time?_ " Huffed Pippin loudly, "Merry has warg slobber stuck to him still and Frodo smells of fish! I'll have you know that we hobbits are a very clean people!"

"It would be wise to also remove some of the blood from us. It may attract enemies...as surely as shouting would." Aragorn said, fixing Pippin with a pointed look before turning to the wizard.

"Gandalf? Might not the reservoir be safe?"

Hattie perked right up then. If there was a chance for her to get clean, then she was all for it. That is, of course, if there wasn't another squid thing lurking out there.

 _Even then I'd risk it. I probably smell so bad that no monster would want to touch me with a thirty foot pole, let alone eat me._

Gandalf considered the question for a while before nodding.

"If you wish to chill your bones, then it is up to you. As far as I know, this water was brought in by the dwarves to use as they mined. It is shallow and sealed."

A mutter of excitement went through the Fellowship. While it wasn't a warm meal, it would be something to help them feel more human. Well, human-ish, as Hattie and Boromir were technically the only actual humans here. Aragorn sort of counted she guessed, but he was over eighty years old already. Technicalities and all that.

"Then we shall refresh ourselves here." The Ranger announced. This set the others into action. The hobbits followed after Gimli as he went towards the reservoir first. Hattie immediately went to her packs to find her supplies, but was surprised when Aragorn followed after her.

"Miss O'Connor, might you lend a hand with the washing?" He asked as he took off his leather jacket and inspected the blood on its sleeves.

"Why?" She immediately bristled, "Is it because I am a girl?"

The Ranger frowned down at her.

"No. I noticed you have soap. Might we use some?"

"O-oh. Right. Sure. Sorry." Hattie flushed and turned back to her packs, "Just give me a minute."

 _I really need sleep. Getting cranky at a king isn't really a good idea._

Hattie hurried. She couldn't recall if this part had ever been in the book or movie, but at this point she really didn't care. Digging through her packs, she gathered her hair brush, soap, hair wash, and her spare clothes. They weren't really clean, but they were better than what she had on. At least she'd be able to wash some stuff tonight, and hopefully when they got going again they would be dry. The air here was rather warm, so there was a chance. Maybe then she might try to get some of the stains out of her sweater. It was her favorite after all and right now it was looking more like a dish rag then-

Behind her, a throat cleared.

"My lady? If you are ready, I will attend you."

Hattie turned to see Boromir standing at the ready. He had removed his cloak and outer jerkin but had kept his chain mail shirt, and was looking away from her as if he'd rather not meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry, what?" Hattie asked him with a tilt of her head.

"No doubt you wish for seclusion while you..." He haltered, but shook his head and continued on, "but it is not wise to go far from the others without protection."

Hattie took a second more to interpret what he was trying to tell her.

"Oh. Oh! I see. Thanks, I guess? But I've got Wolf." She declined in an awkward panic. At his name, the dog lifted his head. He had been sniffing at the hobbits' packs, no doubt picking up on the dried meat stashed inside. Boromir's voice raised a little in protest.

"Nay, I do not think he will be sufficient. Please, for your own safety, allow-"

He was cut off from saying more as Hattie took her bar of soap and broke off a chunk. Tossing it at him, the Captain barely managed to catch it before it smacked him in the face.

"Here. Give that to Aragorn, would you?"

Boromir eyed the soap warily, tentatively sniffing.

"This scent is-"

"It's lavender. It's good for stress relief. Try it." She told him before turning to quickly leave before he could tell how rattled his offer made her.

Boromir made to follow after her, but Wolf got in his way. The dog padded after his master as she rounded a fallen column and disappeared. Left behind, the prince-steward glanced over at Gandalf. The wizard simply shrugged and pulled down the brim of his hat to catch some winks. Boromir, knowing when he had been beaten, took off to join the others, missing the elven prince glance off in the direction Hattie chose.

"Here looks as good a place as any." Hattie decided when she made it some hundred feet away from the others. It should be a good enough distance away to grant her privacy without being too far for help. After letting Wolf sniff around the area to make sure it was alright, Hattie stripped and got to washing the blood and sweat off her clothes. She would be quick, as Gandalf made it clear they weren't stopping here for more than a two or three hours before they would need to move on. And while Hattie needed a bath, she needed a nap just as badly.

While Hattie felt safe with Wolf, she knew it would have been smarter to accept Boromir's protection. But she just couldn't. One, it was _far_ too embarrassing. It was bad enough that the Fellowship always had to wait around while she ducked behind a bush to pee, but to have Boromir stand guard while she bathed would have been too much. Since her incident with Legolas, she had rightly become paranoid even though all of the Fellowship had been perfect gentlemen to her.

But reason number two, well...she just...she just didn't want to be around Boromir right now.

The past few weeks had been weird, yes, but weirder was that Hattie was kind of getting used to it. Gimli's snores, Sam's cooking, listening to Boromir's stories as his adventures as the Captain of the White Tower...it surprised her how much she had adapted to it all. But the past two days had been a grim reminder of how much she did not belong in this world. A very harsh reminder. Those corpses in particular. Those dwarves had been killed. _Slaughtered_. That was the reality of this place, as much as the shadows were.

Middle-earth was at war. And it wasn't something Hattie was ready to deal with. It was just too much.

Boromir was going to die, and Hattie couldn't be around him. Cold, yes, but the guilt she felt every time she looked at him was getting worse with every day. She didn't even have anything to be guilty about. He volunteered to be a part of the Fellowship, he knew the risks. She just couldn't let herself make it any more personal by getting any closer to him or the others. It's not really any of her concern anyways, and was definitely not her fault that Boromir was going to die. It's just something that happens, something that has to happen. Just like Gandalf facing the Balrog. Oh, god, she didn't even know what she was going to do after that...

 _What if the others hate me because I know about Gandalf falling? No. They don't know that I know...but then again, they'll probably ask me, and I'm a terrible liar. And if Frodo cries...oh, god, I just might break..._

Hattie shook her head. It didn't matter. The past twenty-four hours showed her that. The others made it through just fine with a few scrapes and a bit of fatigue while she so far had a score of two concussions, one forehead gash, a broken nose, and a ton of blisters and bruises. Now that they were in Moria the real trouble was going to start, and it was time to get serious. She had to keep a low profile, from the enemies as well as from the others. Hattie needed to look out for herself and Wolf. The others would be - _mostly_ – fine, but it wasn't so certain for her. She needed to protect herself...or else she would end up like that poor dwarf, bleeding out to death and alone.

 _Not like I don't already know what that feels like...haha...ha...yeah._

That all might be well and good as a plan, but it wasn't going to be so simple to execute. Once Gandalf was gone, the others were going to ask her things. She was a seer in their opinion, they'd obviously would want to know what she knew. And while it was fine to distance herself a little from them, again, she didn't know how she'd hold up under pressure. She'd have to talk to Gandalf about it, and hopefully she got the chance to do it before he left.

Because she _couldn't_ mess up the story. For better or worse. It just...wasn't good. For anyone, but especially herself. When she picked up the Ring instead of Boromir, it didn't end well. And when she tried to help Frodo from the Watcher, she ended up getting her nose busted. So lesson learned. She'd keep to herself, talk to Gandalf about how to keep the others off her back after he left, and try not to break anything else of hers until they got to Lothlorien.

This was survival for her, not an adventure.

 _Got it. Good plan. Good. And maybe it might be a bit selfish, but I hope the others don't completely hate me when I say goodbye._ Hattie thought with a shiver as she started to soap up her hair.

 _'Maybe you shouldn't say goodbye then.'_ Sniffed Wolf quietly, his tone a bit condescending.

Hattie turned to glare at the dog who looked away and pretended to not have said anything by licking his paw.

"You stop that. You know I heard you."

"Apologies, Miss O'Connor. I merely wished to ensure your safety.

"Eep!"

Hattie fell back, blinding herself with soap and water. While she had grown used to Wolf talking, _that_ had defiantly not been Wolf.

"Miss O'Connor? What happened? Are you injured?" The voice asked urgently. From the sound of it, the person it belonged to was on the other side of a column to the right that acted as Hattie's curtain from the others. Hattie sputtered and tried to stand herself up when she heard them take a few steps towards her in concern.

 _That damn elf!_

"What did I say about spying on me?!" She accused while she instinctively covered herself. The water wasn't deep enough though, so she was left to stand there awkwardly, arms folded, hair plastered to her face like she was the creepy chick from The Ring.

From the other side of the column, Hattie could hear Legolas stop and let out an exasperated sigh.

"It was unwise of you to distance yourself without protection...even if you do have remarkable hearing for a human."

"B-but y-y-you-!" She stammered, panic forcing herself to speak without knowing what to say. Why did this keep happening to her? Why?

 _Because my life is one big sick cosmic joke, that's why!_

"I have only and will continue to remain where I am. I am quite aware of the modesty of humans." Legolas told her, using the same tone one might with a child, further infuriating Hattie.

 _Yeah, well, you can still hear everything, and that's almost as bad!_

"You could have just said so." She eventually huffed.

"I believe just I did."

"Yeah, well, wear a bell or something!" She nearly yelled as she began to search the water for the shampoo bottle she dropped, "You're going to give me a heart attack at this rate!"

Finding the shampoo bottle, Hattie continued in her bathing by washing her body, turning redder with every passing minute. The elf, _the elf_ , Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, had yet again managed to cause her to experience ultimate humiliation. Honestly, being eaten by Smaug at this point seemed a more preferred option than meeting his eyes after she was done here. At least this time there was something between them, but Hattie still felt like somehow, he was watching her in his own freakish elvish way.

But, oddly enough, Hattie couldn't stay mad at the elf this time. Well, she could. Him approaching her once while she was bathing was a coincidence, but twice was the beginning of a disturbing pattern. But what was even more flustering to Hattie was that she still felt the need to thank the elf again for his help with Wolf. The matter still had her confused. She wasn't one to get all shy and silly like some schoolgirl with a crush. But still, when Legolas swooped in and saved Wolf from being separated from her, Hattie kind of felt like he was some kind of prince charming. Well, he technically was a prince, and at times he could be charming.

But as much as Hattie joked about Legolas being perfect…in that moment he actually was. To her at least.

 _Better be careful. I've made it this far without succumbing to elf obsession like so many LOTR fangirls. Though, he might be my second favorite elf now…_

"Are you finished your washing?" The elven prince asked after a while.

"For a guy who's over two thousand years old, you aren't that patient, are you?" Retorted Hattie with a chuckle, "You didn't have to do this, you know. Wolf is my protection and comfort, remember?"

Legolas seemed to not recognize his own words as he went on with a serious tone that had Hattie feeling very patronized.

"Your _draug_ may be a fierce animal, but not even he can protect you from all horrors. Until you learn to defend yourself, you would be wise to accept our protection while we are able to offer it."

"Fine, fine. Mister bossy." Hattie said with a roll of her eyes. She was done anyway, just in time too because the cold water was starting to make her shiver. Carefully she stepped out of the water and towards her change of clothes.

"I wish you not to jest, Miss O'Connor. I understand why you declined the Prince-Stewards offer, but to go so far from the others is foolish. Even the hobbits understand this."

At Legolas's continued speech, Hattie paused in buttoning up her flannel shirt. A sick twist in her stomach had her feeling uneasy, but she couldn't say why until she replayed his words in her head.

"What do you mean you understand? Understand what?" She asked with a shake of her head, shaking droplets from her wet locks. Hoping Legolas meant nothing, Hattie reached for her leggings.

"Yes." Legolas said slowly, as if now wanting to be delicate, "I know the mortal makes you…anxious."

Hattie, abruptly, lost her balance when she had only one foot in her leggings, and proceeded to flap her arms in panic to right herself. She sharply turned towards the column Legolas was behind and, even though he couldn't see her, forced a smile on her face.

"What? Me?! Ha! I'm not anxious around Boromir! I mean, what makes you think that?! Me, anxious? Ha!" She said too quickly in an attempt to brush off Legolas's comment. But it, like herself, was absolutely hopeless.

"The hammering of your heart speaks more truth than your words. You have been this way around him for some time, acting like a doe in the sights of a hunter."

 _What? My heart? What is he even talking about?_

Hattie's eyes widened in realization.

 _Oh, god. His ears. Those damn bloody ears!_

He could hear her heartbeat. Her goddamn _heartbeat!_ Legolas could hear it beating faster whenever she smiled at Boromir and pretended not to feel guilty about his fate. The elf could hear it beat now, fast and panicked at his accusations. How much he really knew about her guilt with Boromir, Hattie couldn't tell, but it was enough to make her worry. Actually, worry was the wrong word. Panic more like. Like she was trapped in a corner.

She did the only thing she could think of to do. She tried to play it cool.

"S-so? I just…I, uh…well…" She stammered, tongue tied.

 _Oh, god, this is not playing it cool! Abort! Abort!_

"I am not wrong. Even now, when you think of him, your heart beats fast." For a moment, Hattie might have guessed Legolas's tone to be troubled then. But he continued on after a moment, voicing another, more serious, accusation, "Unless I am wrong? Unless you are not anxious of him but…afraid?"

In answer to his question Hattie's already panicked heartbeat picked up all the faster. What Legolas asked her next made it ten times worse.

"Miss O'Connor, have you had a vision of the Prince-Steward? One that foretells danger?"

He knew. He knew that Hattie knew that Boromir was going to die. No, no. Calm down. There was no way he knew that. Not unless he could read minds. And he couldn't, right? No. He didn't know what Hattie knew, but it was clear that Legolas suspected her of knowing and keeping something from them regarding the Captain of the White Tower. It was one thing for Hattie to have lived with her guilt on her own, but to now have it thrown into her face by one of her heroes, one of her _idols_ , it was too much.

This was the last thing Hattie wanted to talk about, especially now of all times. Nothing that was going to happen was going to be her fault, and yet Legolas was already talking to her like she was lying to them all. She wasn't! It just wasn't her place to talk about it! Gandalf made that perfectly clear! Nothing was her fault and it wasn't her concern! Boromir was going to die whether she was here or not! Couldn't Legolas understand?

 _No, wait, sod him!_ Hattie thought as a defensive anger inevitably took guilt's place before she felt too sick to stand. He didn't need to understand! There's no way he could even if he did call out her guilt. He had no idea what she was going through, the blame she felt, the fear that pulsed in her! And yet he dare accuse her like this! While she was half-naked? AGAIN?!

"L-look, why don't you just back off me? Okay?" Hattie sputtered, angry and mortified and nervous and ready to cry all as these emotions flooded into her at once, "It's nothing. And it's not really any of your business anyway! We're not friends! I only answer to Gandalf, not you! I don't have to tell you a thing! And I don't appreciate being given the third degree while I'm naked a second time by you!"

By the end, Hattie knew she was yelling. Her voice echoed over the water a little, and the light splashing the hobbits were causing suddenly went still. Hattie was too angry to worry about if any goblins over heard her. No, she was worried, but her anger made it easy to ignore. What right did he have to talk to her like this? Some prince charming he was!

 _Yeah, how dare he just speak the truth to me and voice his legit concerns. What a prick._

Legolas was quiet for a long time, long enough that Hattie wondered if he still was there and for her regret to sink back in again. Deciding it didn't matter, Hattie finished getting dressed. Throwing her wet clothes and supplies into a pile, she scooped it all up in her arms and whistled for Wolf to follow her. The dog hesitated a little, but followed with his tail tucked between his legs as if she had been yelling at him.

Rounding the corner, Hattie was a little surprised to see the elf prince was still there. He was leaning against the column, one leg propped up and arms folded, looking for all the world at-ease. But Hattie thought she saw a tightness in his jaw, and when he spoke the words were clenched.

"My apologies."

Hattie rolled her eyes. She didn't have time for this.

Storming past him, Hattie made her way back to the others, Legolas staying behind. He was probably going to further patrol the area to make certain it was safe for their rest, but for all Hattie cared he could go jump in the reservoir. She was scared enough being here as it was. Now she had to worry about drama too. She hoped that he would keep it to himself, but more than likely Legolas already told Gandalf what he suspected Hattie was keeping from them. Seeing as she hadn't been called out by them yet, perhaps the two of them decided to trust Gandalf's faith in her...for now. After the wizard was gone, would they tell the others? Tell them that she had been lying to them all? She wanted to think that she hadn't, not really, and yet the guilt in her told her it was already too late.

She was back with the others before she was ready to be, because by then hot, frustrated tears were stinging at her eyes. The hobbits were gathered together, assembling a dinner of dried meat and some turnips that managed to survive the trip this far. But Hattie ignored the grumble of her belly and made straight for her bed roll. She threw herself down upon it and hid under the blanket, missing the curious looks of the others at her sudden temper tantrum.

The last thing Hattie remembered was Wolf curling up to her side, letting out a soft whine.

 **~o0o~**

It wouldn't end. She cried, shouted, screamed, but it would not stop. Nothing she did could alleviate her pain, her loneliness. She did not know if she was dreaming or awake. There was pain, so maybe not a dream. Something worse, worse than a nightmare. What then? Was she awake? She couldn't be, she didn't want to be. Because if she was awake, that meant she was back there. Alone. Dying. She could feel something drawing near, somewhere she could not see. Her head was filled with images. Sharp, alive, and strange. Was she afraid? Yes. More afraid then she had ever been before. And yet, it felt familiar and terrible. Then, there was the voice.

 _"Little one..."_

"Miss Hattie?"

When she felt a hand upon her shoulder, Hattie reacted on the first instinct that came to her.

 ** _"No!"_** Hattie woke with a struggle, her panic flooding. She reached out to push away whatever had a hold of her, closing one fist to strike. At the feeling of bone and flesh colliding, she was able to open her eyes. With her heart in her throat she sat up to scrambled away from her assailant, only to see a hobbit sprawled out before her, writhing.

"Ow! By Bombadil's beard, what was that for?!"

Hattie was slow to realize what had happened, but soon enough was kneeling down by the poor hobbit, absolutely mortified.

"Merry! Oh, oh my god, I'm so, _so_ sorry!"

The hobbit grimaced as he delicately touched his cheek where she had hit him when he tried to wake her. It did not look at all pretty, and she was certain it would bruise. Merry however managed to give her a carefree smile.

"It's fine Miss Hattie. Doesn't seem to be bleeding."

Hattie felt like laughing, but that wouldn't really have been appropriate she guessed. Before she could again grovel to the hobbit her deepest apologies, Gandalf came over.

"Miss O'Connor, are you alright?" He asked looking her and the hobbit over in concern. While Merry was probably worse for wear, Hattie was not the picture of health either. She was covered in sweat, and her lungs were still in a panic to get fresh air. The other members of the Fellowship followed after the wizard, wondering at the ruckus. Hattie's eyes darted between them and Gandalf.

"Fine! I'm fine! It was nothing! Totally fine!" The words were so shaken and forced that Hattie did not believe them herself. The wizard raised an impassive brow, to which Hattie tried to play off with a shrug.

"It's just a bad dream I've been having since I got here. Well not here _here_ but…you know, here." She gestured around them, hoping she was making a little bit of sense. The wizard though seemed to be fluent in flustered though, and his frown deepened in concern.

"What is it about?"

Hattie hesitated to answer, again glancing over at the others. But Aragorn had already ushered Merry away to look at his cheek and the others were once again busy in packing up and making breakfast. Hattie briefly glanced to see where Legolas was, and was relieved to notice that he was still on guard duty, sitting some hundred feet from them all and perched low on a fallen column.

"It's about when I crossed over I guess." Hattie whispered to the wizard, still not confident the elf wouldn't somehow be able to hear her, "I'm hurt and I'm saying that I don't want to die, and then this voice talks to me and asks me why I'm crying. I…I don't like it."

"I see." The wizard nodded as he noticed the shudder that when through Hattie. Leaning in, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, stilling her a little.

"If more should come to you, I would know of it."

Hattie only managed to give him a nod, but it was enough for the wizard. He left her to attend to his own effects. Hattie continued to try and calm herself, and the moment she noticed that Wolf was missing, he came into view. He must have been out chasing rats or something because his jaw was a little bloody. He padded up to her side, giving her a comforting whine as if on instinct he knew something was wrong. Once reassured by the softness and warmth of his fur, Hattie steadied herself, and prepared to continue on like the others.

After the brief rest at the reservoir, the Company continued, making little sound other than their own feet. Gandalf's soft shoed step; Gimli's thudding boots; the heavy tread of Boromir; the lightness Legolas; the patter of hobbits; Hattie's reluctant shuffling; Wolf's soft pad; and the slow, firm footfalls of Aragorn in the back with his long stride. There was also water trickling down from somewhere, but Hattie wasn't sure. That, and every now and then Wolf and Legolas would pause, listening to some sound off in the distance. Hattie swore she could sometimes hear it too, faint and distant. She had no idea what it could be, until she remembered something rather important.

 _Oh…oh, god. It's Gollum. Crap! That's right, he follows the Fellowship in here!_

Hattie panicked for a minute, but when she managed to calm down she figured that the poor Smeagul was pretty low on the threat list at the moment, seeing as how he would keep his distance. Still, just to be safe, Hattie stepped closer to the hobbits and reviewed all of the riddles she knew.

Hours passed and miles were slowly trodden, and Hattie wondered what time it really was. It had been nightfall when they finally got into the Mines, after which they walked for several hours and then slept probably through the day a bit around noon. So...evening-ish? Hattie wasn't sure. All she knew was that the leftovers the others had saved her had not been enough and she wanted dinner now. Dinner and another nap. That nightmare did _not_ leave her refreshed.

This feeling increased tenfold when suddenly a set of stairs came into view. And Hattie used the word 'stairs' in the loosest of terms. It was like Stairmaster deluxe with Gandalf in the lead. Each step was at least two feet high and only six inches wide, forcing the not so long-legged of the group to climb on their hands and knees. It wasn't so bad…for the twenty minutes of the climb. Hattie felt it was never going to end. Worse, she had Stairway to Heaven stuck in her head, but she forgot it when something _icky_ came into view.

 _Oh. Lovely. More corpses._

Unlike the others they had seen, these were little more than armor, bone, and cobwebs strewn about on the steps. They probably were killed and left to rot when the Balrog was first awoken if she had to guess. But that was almost a thousand years ago, and other than being, well, dead, they didn't look half bad.

 _Man, the conditions in this place are just perfect for mummification. Yeah, sure, these guys aren't looking too pretty, but I'd say these guys are comparable to the mummies in the Capuchin Catacombs in Sicily and the Iceman of Similaun. I'd love to be buried here! I'd be a beautiful corpse!_

 _'Please refrain from saying such morbid things. I worry about you.'_ Wolf voiced from beside her. Hattie almost laughed, but then ahead of her Pippin suddenly slipped. A book got caught under his tread, sending him and the book backwards.

"Pippin!" Merry hissed in annoyance when his cousin crashed into him. Pippin looked a bit frightened though at his near fall, and so Merry had to help push him up. Hattie though paused to pick up the book Pippin tripped over. It was small and slender, dusty and bound in worn down leather.

And it was the most beautiful thing Hattie had seen in a long time.

The top of the stairs was not too far ahead after that, but Hattie needlessly slowed herself down by picking up two other volumes that had been left about on the steps. They were heavy tomes, but she really wanted to look them over. She had way too much time to think to herself the past few hours, and while she hadn't changed her mind any on her decisions, it was tiring wallowing in her guilt for so long. It was making her anxious, like she was locked in a waiting room to hear results from some test she didn't remember taking.

That, and Legolas still refused to look at her. Not that she cared. But the more she glanced over to see if he was glancing over only to find that he wasn't, was making Hattie think that he _knew_ she was glancing over with the hope of seeing him glancing over at her, and maybe that made her seem a bit needy, and–

 _Okay. I need to stop thinking about this. I don't care. I don't. Not one bit. No bits to be given._

When the Fellowship – and Hattie – caught up to Gandalf at the top of the stairs, they found him puzzled and still. Before the wizard stood a wide dark arch opening into three different passages. All led in the same general direction, but the left went down, the right climbed up, and the middle was smooth and level but very narrow. Hattie, recognizing where they were, smirked, and decided that she better go and claim the comfiest rock there was.

The wizard stood there uncertainly for another minute, looking down the left, right, and middle passages.

"I have no memory of this place." He finally whispered.

"Hehe. And thus, a meme was born." Hattie muttered as she set her packs down. Gandalf turned to glare at her though, overhearing her, making her gush under the attention.

"Sorry."

She couldn't help herself. It was one of her favorite lines from the whole series, but she liked it even more now since it meant they finally were going to get another break.

Gandalf told them - with a pointed look towards Hattie - to not to get too settled as he strode towards the arches to look for some marks or inscriptions that might help his choice, but very soon he announced he was too tired to make up his mind and they might as well bed here for the night. Gimli, the with help of Aragorn, patrolled the immediate area, announcing that it was clear. With Gandalf's ascent, they got a fire going as well, which was very well received by the hobbits. Of course, there was little left in their packs to cook, but the quiet crackle of wood was a comfort in itself. Even Aragorn relaxed himself a little and lit his pipe for a smoke.

"What have you got there lass?" Gimli asked as he strode over to where Hattie had settled with Wolf at her feet.

"Hm?" She hummed as she looked up from the book in her lap, having to shift the gears in her mind to realize that he asked her a question.

"O-oh! I, uh, found it. On the stairs."

The dwarf approached closer, leaning down to inspect the page she was perusing. He had been rather quiet ever since he had seen the corpses in the mining supply room, and Hattie couldn't blame him. He didn't know it like she did, but Gimli probably already suspected that his cousin and company were dead. There were no signs so far of them, and it was obviously troubling the dwarf, making him more surly than normal.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have touched it." Hattie wilted under his intense gaze. He probably didn't want her touching the things that belonged to his people.

 _There is a fine line between archaeology and grave robbing after all._

"I couldn't help it. I just get so…curious." She apologized, already closing the book only to be stopped as Gimli reached out a hand.

"Do you know what it says?"

"Um…not really."

At her answer, the dwarf shook his head.

"Then why look at it?"

Hattie frowned up at him, wondering how someone could ask such a question.

"Because. It's beautiful." At the reverence in her voice Gimli rose a brow.

"It's an only an old record book."

"Record of what?" Hattie brightened. Still confused, the dwarf humored her and took the book from her, flipping through the pages. His dark eyes scanned the words, and Hattie was jealous of his immediate familiarity with them.

"Simple techniques used in forging mithril. This passage is about spinning it finely enough to make jewelry." Gimli explained. Hattie patted excitedly at the rock to her left, inviting him to sit beside her.

"Could you read it to me? Please? With a cherry on top?"

Gimli's frowned deepened, but at the curiosity that lit Hattie's eyes, he felt the need to comply. Sitting beside her, he read a few passages from the book, the low baritone of his voice complimenting the crackle of the fire perfectly. At his recitation, Boromir, Aragorn, and even Legolas looked over at the pair of them, but Hattie was too entranced to care.

 _Screw Elvish. Why don't more people like Dwarvish? It's so much cooler. Maybe I can convince Gimli to sing the Lonely Mountain song later..._

Gimli abruptly stopped after a while, the wide-eyed look Hattie was fixing him with making him uncomfortable.

"I don't see what's so beautiful about this old thing, lass. Not unless you're a metal smith as well as a seer." He gruffed, closing the book and handing it back to Hattie roughly. She gaped at him as if he hand thrown the book into the fire.

"Wha…how can you not?"

Grabbing the book back ad throwing it open, Hattie violently pointed to the first page.

"Look! Look at this!"

Gimli leaned in and squinted at what she pointed at, "An ink stain?"

"An ink stain!" She whispered excitedly, "Do you know what that means?"

Gimli shook his head, and Hattie smiled like a maniac.

"Neither do I!" Before he had the chance to ask why she bothered to point it out then, Hattie rushed on with academic fervor, "Why did our writer mess up the very first word on the very first page? Were they a nervous apprentice? Were they an alcoholic with a shaky hand? I don't know! But they couldn't have known that years later, hundreds in fact that we would be sitting here looking at their book. And look! A rat walked across this page while the ink was still drying. Imagine how frustrated our writer must have been to have that happen!"

She paused to giggle, though it came out more like a choked snort.

"This book was hand written by someone long before I was born. Did they enjoy their work? Did they hate it? Did they smell like ink and parchment? The way they wrote is so lovely, it's like art to me! Would they have blushed if I told them that or scoffed? We'll never know, but we can appreciate what they left behind for us to find. That's why I love history; every object you find has its own story! Isn't that just so, so... _fucking_ fantastic?"

Hattie paused, turning back to Gimli with a wide smile. He was staring at her, his thick brows furrowed together in utter confusion as if she had just confessed she was in love with an orc.

 _Oh boy, I think I scared him._

"Eh…sorry. I was monologuing there, wasn't I?" She blushed, knowing that the others were also looking over at her. Probably judging her. Even Gandalf was glancing over his shoulder, giving her an odd look. Hattie suddenly felt like a bug stuck under a microscope, but thankfully, Gimli ended the awkwardness with a barking laugh.

"You are a passionate person, lass. I still don't see how it's beautiful, but…you make it sound like it is."

He turned a gentle smile towards Hattie through his thick beard, and Hattie suddenly felt herself blushing. The dwarf moved to stand then, leaving Hattie feeling much better than she had in a while. At least someone seemed to appreciate her quirks around here.

"Come. It's time for another lesson in axe wielding." Gimli announced as he walked away from the fire. Hattie blinked in surprise.

"Here? But–"

The dwarf silenced her but taking out one of the throwing axes from the loops at his belt. It's sharpened edged gleamed in the low light, and Hattie knew it was useless to argue.

"O-okay."

Setting the book aside, Hattie tried to think of how she could possibly practice axe throwing in such close quarters without killing any one, when Boromir unexpectedly came to her rescue.

"If it is all the same to you, Master Dwarf, I think I should instruct the lady today."

"Hm? What?" Stopped Gimli.

"To wield a weapon like an axe is too advanced and heavy for her. She must learn the basics." Boromir pointed to the stick Hattie had tied to her packs when they had to climb the stairs, continuing to speak delicately so as not to offend Gimli, "The staff would be more suitable for her. Enough to learn simple blocks and attacks."

"Aye. And then the orcs could pick their teeth when they were done with her." Gimli growled, not liking to have his lesson stalled by this interruption.

Hattie gulped at the image. Boromir continued to try and appeal to the dwarf's logic.

"I simply think fundamentals would be a better use of her time. Then she can always defend herself no matter what weapon she has in hand. And even if she learns to throw an axe and kill with one blow, then what? It will not fly back to her hand."

 _Haha, like Mjolnir. Wait, wrong fandom._

"I won't have a pompous prince poaching _my_ pupil!"

 _Oh! Say that three times fast. Pompous prince poaching my pupil, pompous prince poaching my pupil, pompous–_

Hattie felt herself blushing again, but shook her head. Gimli just didn't like being told that his idea was not a good one, not that he had any personal investment in Hattie herself. But Hattie could see that this wasn't going to help her any.

"Master Dwarf, I–"

"If I could, um, interject here?" Hattie softly interpreted, "I think Boromir is right."

Gimli whipped around to look at Hattie, almost looking betrayed, but she resisted the urge to swallow nervously.

"I'm sorry Gimli. I mean no offense. I'm just not…worthy of your teaching efforts yet. They're wasted on me right now. Plus, I don't think in this small place that even Legolas would be able to duck in time from my bad aim." She chuckled, ignoring the glance the elf gave her at the mention of his name. Hattie hoped that she made it seem like it wasn't that she didn't want to learn from Gimli, it's just that Boromir's lesson might be of better use to her now. Those that had been listening in to the conversation- which was everyone since there wasn't much else to entertain them at the moment - looked to see how Gimli would react. The dwarf seemed a bit riled at her decline, but then scoffed.

"Hmph. Very well lass." He huffed, turning and claiming the rock Hattie had been sitting at. He strapped the axe back into his belt angrily, muttering what Hattie suspected were Dwarvish curses.

"Oh boy. I think I hurt his feelings." Hattie sighed.

"Do not concern yourself with his pride." Sighed Boromir before turning towards her with a smile and guided her away from the fire, "Come. I fear these lessons are long overdue to you."

 **~o0o~**

" _Coiva_ , Miss O'Connor." (Awake) Whispered Aragorn to Hattie loud enough to wake her. At the sound of his firm voice, she twisted on her bed roll to look up at him. He seemed to be prepared for her earlier reaction that day, and kept a distance from her in case she decided to strike at him like she had Merry. But thankfully, Hattie had slept nightmare free.

"Hm?" She asked sleepily, "Whaisit?"

"It is your turn for watch."

"O-oh. Sure." She nodded, but as soon as she made to rise, her arms screamed in protest. Boromir had her practicing blocks and strikes for several hours with her stick. The motions themselves weren't all that difficult, but after repeating them several hundred times over, Hattie was more than exhausted. Boromir was a harsh teacher, noticing and correcting her movement, stance, and grip whenever he noticed it being less than perfect. Even worse, Gimli came over and added his opinions too. It seemed to Hattie that he had taken a vested interest in her so called 'training', and Hattie still wasn't sure if she should be complimented by this or frightened.

When the three of them returned to the others they found them all asleep with the exception of Legolas. Boromir claimed he wasn't tired however, and took the first watch before Aragorn. He also took Hattie's stick, promising her that he would carve it into a smooth staff for her. Sure, it would take away the funny old man face in the bark, but it would make it easier for her use.

Hattie thanked him for all of this, but at the same time...she wished he would leave her alone. She had agreed to his lessons because it was the smart thing to do, but she didn't once look him in the eye. But she knew the guiltier she acted the more Legolas was going to suspect, so she forced herself to smile and pretend that everything was fine when everything clearly wasn't. Here she was, resigning Boromir to death, and he was teaching her and even got a splinter because of her.

 _Nope! No! No thinking like that. I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm not...still, this would be a whole hell of a lot easier if he was a bit of a jerk I guess…_

Reluctantly, Hattie finally stood herself up. Wolf padded over with her from the bed roll to the designated 'watch spot' near to the three pathways. Hattie had taken the night watch before, and she had to say that she much preferred _anything_ else to it. She was fighting her own jaw to stop yawning, and every muscle of hers wanted to curl in itself and fall back asleep. Thankfully, Wolf was able to help keep her awake. If anything, he was the one really keeping watch. Hattie didn't even know what she should be watching besides the hobbits as they snored or tossed and turned.

Hattie glanced over at the wizard that was nearby to her small perch. Like he was known to, he slept with his eyes open. It was really freaky, especially with his mouth crooked open to snore. She had missed her opportunity to talk to him today, since by the time Boromir let her go from training the wizard and others were already bedding down for the night. But the questions burned in her mind, and she knew she needed to talk to him. There was so little time left. Just tonight, then the night in the great hall, and then...the Balrog.

 _I'm not ready._

Hattie hadn't considered it before, but she really wasn't ready for Gandalf to leave her. Yes, it was selfish of her, but so far he had been the only one to understand what she was going through. She didn't know where she would be without him, and he was going to leave. She needed to know what to say. She needed to know what to do. There was really be no one else Hattie could rely on for answers. And Hattie needed those right now. Badly.

Was what she was doing right? He had told her himself that she shouldn't mess with her 'visions' and yet, if she told him that Boromir was going to die, would Gandalf still tell her to sit by and do nothing? No, that didn't matter. Hattie knew what was going to happen even if the wizard didn't. But he had to know what to do, that's why she needed his opinion after all, right? But...but what if he was wrong? What if...what if the Lady Galadriel couldn't get her home? What if she was stuck here, forever? Clueless and lost and her mother's own name gone to her forever and ever and ever and-

"Miss O'Connor, do you have a question, or–" Started Gandalf as his eyes suddenly blinked at her.

"Sugar honey ice tea!" Hattie reeled back, clutching her heart, "Oh, god. I thought you were asleep."

The wizard, shifting himself to sit up nearer to the boulder she was perched on, groaned as his back creaked.

"Hardly. This stone does not treat an old man's bones kindly."

"No kidding." Hattie snorted once she calmed down, "Never thought I'd miss sleeping on dirt."

Hattie watched the grey clad wizard as he dug into the folds of his cloak, producing a pipe after a long search. He took out a small pouch, and after stuffing some of the dark powder into the pipe, he snapped his finger and it was ignited. Hattie smiled as he started puffing, as if what he had just done was absolutely normal.

 _So cool. No, wait. Smoking is bad. Not cool. Not cool at all kids._

Hattie frowned, looking away from the wizard to glance at the others. She supposed that this was probably her chance to talk to him. But now that it presented itself, she wasn't really sure how to formulate her questions into words. Moreover, as her eyes drifted over towards Legolas, Hattie wondered if they might not be overheard. The elf was still not looking at her, but he was awake and most likely could hear them whispering to one another. Even with the others asleep, maybe it wasn't such a great time.

"Miss O'Connor, are you in pain or is that your thinking expression?"

Hattie blinked, refocusing back onto the wizard who seemed to be smiling up at her in amusement.

"What?"

"You seem to be troubled." He clarified with a knowing look. She immediately looked away from him. How come it was so easy for him to know that? Here she was, trying to be all stoic and pretend nothing was wrong, and he knew anyway.

 _Well, he is a wizard after all._

"I guess I am." Hattie eventually shrugged, knowing it was useless to pretend otherwise. Gandalf looked her over, taking in the dark circles under her eyes as if they were some tell-tale clue. He turned from her, inhaling the sweet smoke of his pipe thoughtfully before speaking again.

"And I guess I know what it might be about."

Hattie glance down at him. Did he know? He had mentioned it before that he knew of his fate and coming absence after Moria. That's why he wanted her to come along after all. But did he know he would be returning? Maybe not, and it wasn't Hattie's place to tell him, and he probably didn't want her to tell him anyway. But with him gone though, the others were going to look to her for guidance.

"I just…I just don't know what I'm going to do after…well…" She hesitated to begin, unable to help but keep glancing at Legolas's turned back.

Wolf looked up at his human and then to the elf, and without a word left her side. Hattie was about to call him back when he trotted up to the elf's side. Legolas looked down at Wolf, who let out a soft growl as if to say something to him. Hattie was thoroughly confused by this, but even more so when Wolf began to leave the circle of the fire and Legolas followed after. Hattie guessed this was Wolf's way of helping her try and say her piece to Gandalf, but since when did he and Legolas get so chummy?

 _That dog owes me an explanation._

"Yes, Miss O'Connor?" Gandalf pressed when a few moments passed.

"It's just that some…stuff, is going to be happening soon and I need to know what to say." She told him. Sure, he knew that he was going to meet his fate and all here, but Hattie didn't think it would bode well for her to just go right out and say Balrog. It seemed a little taboo. Besides, Gandalf seemed to understand what she was clumsily trying to say. Or so she thought.

"Say? Say about what?" He pressed. Hattie shrugged.

"You know. The future."

"A very urgent question indeed." The wizard laughed, and Hattie realized he had been teasing her. She pouted and lightly kicked his side, causing him to cough out a couple of smoke rings.

"It's not funny! The others are going to ask me a lot of things since you made them think I'm a seer! I don't know what to say or not to say without you. I just don't want to mess the story up."

"I thought you and I had come to terms that this is no mere story?" The wizard asked her as he finally turned to look back up at her. The frustration she felt was immediately gone as she instinctively reached to feel the healing gash on her forehead.

"It's…it's starting to sink in." She muttered before all her fears came rushing out in one breath, "After _it_ happens, the others are going to ask me if I knew what was going to happen here. And I can't lie. Not well. They're going to hate me and they won't trust me, and they'd be right not to. They're going to want to know what else I know and -"

"And you think they may force information out of you?" Gandalf interrupted, sounding disconcerted by her suspicions. Hattie shook her head.

"More likely I take one look at their faces after you leave and can't help but blab it all out. I'm not a good liar." She confessed, her eyes flickering over to where Boromir slept. Luckily Gandalf did not catch this as he made to move closer to where Hattie was sitting until he was by her side.

"The life of a stormcrow is not an easy one." He sighed wearily, "You must carry the weight of knowledge alone and often deliver it onto ungrateful ears. But knowledge it not truth. It has taken me many decades to learn the difference myself."

Hattie frowned, uncertain of what he meant.

"What difference?"

Gandalf smirked down at her knowingly, irritating Hattie a little by how sage and wise it made him look while she only became more confused with every word he spoke.

"What you have learned from your little books is nothing more than knowledge. Valuable and powerful knowledge, to be sure, but it is hardly the truth. The truth...is that you are here now, and your presence has already set into motion too many new possibilities to count. What might have been destined is now on the wind, racing to some land that few, if any, know of. But I sense it is to bring a great change."

Hattie didn't like where this was going. This sounded suspiciously like he expected something to happen because of her being with them. She knew that was his intent in bringing her along, as it was part of their bargain in the first place until they reached Lothlorien. But surely by now he knew how hopeless she was at this kind of thing? Right? She was only good at stating what would only what would become obvious to the Fellowship sooner or later. She couldn't change anything really important, and even if she wanted too they both saw how badly her interfering could end. At least for her anyway. She shook her head, and tried again to get the answer she wanted out of him.

"Okay, so wait, do you actually have any ideas what I should tell them? Some sayings that sound wise but are absolute bullshit?"

"Pardon?" Frowned the wizard in distaste.

"You don't want me messing anything up, right? So, what do I say so that nothing bad happens? I need some pointers."

"You seem to misunderstand me yet again, Miss O'Connor. I would have you aid where you might in your own way, provided you do so delicately. And do avoid magic, if at all possible, as it appears to be ill for your health."

"How am I supposed to help them?" Hattie stopped, and with a firm resolve corrected herself, " _Why_ should I help them? We've seen what happens when I mess things up already. It wasn't pretty. The others do just fine without anyone else in the story I read."

 _Most of them anyway...nope, nope. Not thinking about that._

The wizard took another long puff of his pipe, allowing Hattie to nervously wait in his silence. When she was about ready to grab the pipe and throw it down the stairs, he finally answered.

"Let me answer your question some of my own. Why did you try to warn Frodo to stay away from the water? Why did you stand up for Pippin when I lashed in anger at my failure to open the door? Why did you speak so as to not offend Gimli's pride, or give Merry more chocolate as apology for striking him this morning? Why do you glance often towards the Elven prince, your desire to apologize for your harsh words to him written plainly on your face?"

"I don't want to apologize-" Hattie indignantly began, only to be interrupted.

"It is because they are real, and so is their pain. And I suspect you to be the kind of person that cannot stand to allow others to suffer when something might be done about it. Even if they do manage 'just fine' in your books."

"Oh, god." Hattie groaned and pinched her nose, "Why are you like this? Just give me a straight answer, please."

The wizard ignored her and continued.

"In my coming absence, I suspect their pain will be all the greater, as well as their obstacles. I know I have been guiding you thus far in what to say, but I had hoped to gently show you how to share your burden of knowledge without distressing others with tactless details."

"Like, how you told Bilbo that he was going on an adventure, but really, you had been scheming to assassinate Smaug because you suspected that Sauron was starting to return and would recruit the dragon into his army to be his ultimate weapon?" Hattie said snappily, hoping to annoy him. She hit her mark, and the wizard frowned down at her as if she was more ill-behaved than Pippin.

"Miss O'Connor, it is like you have not been listening to a word I have spoken."

But Hattie had, and that was the problem.

What he said…got to her. In a way. Was she really the kind of person that could let other people suffer knowingly? Even if it wasn't her fault, which it wasn't, could she keep something that could hurt another from them? While she wasn't a hero or anything, was she really that kind of person? After all, if anyone knew loss and suffering, it was her. That's why she felt guilt at all to begin with, because while it wasn't her fault, maybe, somewhere in her mind, laid a hope that she might be able to help–

 _Nope._ Hattie resolved with a firm shake of her head. _I'm not letting this wizard get away with any Jedi mind tricks._

It didn't matter what kind of person Hattie thought of herself. She needed to live and get back home. Back home to where family and a future might be waiting for her. And to do that, she needed to survive. To survive, she needed to cause as little trouble as possible. Besides, the wizard didn't know what he was talking about. Sure, he had wanted her along for contingency and, as he once said, 'to provide encouragement', but he seemed to forget that she couldn't _do_ anything! Not without serious damage to her own person! Maybe that was it, he just didn't care about her. Just his own Fellowship. She was just a gift horse after all, wasn't she?

 _Well this gift horse is running out of the barn! Okay, weird analogy, but still!_

" _No_ , you're not listening." She scowled up at the wizard, "I'm not going to be around long. As soon as we get to Lothlorien, Wolf and I are going home, and the others are gonna be stuck thinking they need me when they don't. And that's gonna be on you! What can I change anyway? The only thing I can maybe prevent now is your leaving, but we both seem to know that has to happen, so what do you want of me? Huh? I'd like to know! It sounds to me like you want me to screw things up. Is that what you want? Cause I can do that! I'm very good at screwing things up! My G.P.A. is proof of that!"

The wizard only reacted to her accusations and panic by raising his brow impassively.

"You sound so certain that this is all you wish is to return to your world." He asked her. Hattie, taken aback by his question, scoffed.

"Of course it is."

"Perhaps." Mused the wizard, fixing her with an expression Hattie could not even begin to decipher, "But then...you might ask yourself, why were you brought here? Why were your memories taken from you? Why do you have words of this world written across your back? I told you, it was more than chance that you were taken from your world. And it was more than chance that you found the Fellowship. Perhaps you should not look back towards home, but forwards down the road ahead. There may be many things laying in wait for you in this world yet."

Hattie found herself backing away from the wizard as her anger shrank into dread. He made it sound like she was meant to be here. But she wasn't! Her road led home no matter what! It didn't matter if chance led her to the Fellowship or if some cosmic force zapped her into Middle-earth. Hell, it wasn't even chance that had her find them, it was her dog! It wasn't fate! That was stupid! Fate was stupid! She had an education to finish and a mother to remember! Hattie could have screamed. Now was not the time to be all sage and vague. Couldn't someone on this god-forsaken mountain give her a straight answer? Apparently not. It confirmed something she had been dreading to accept for a while now. She was alone. And when Gandalf would leave, she would be even more so. Fears turning inside, she towards Gandalf.

"I just…I'm…nothing." She insisted, hating how her voice became so fragile, "I just want to go home."

Gandalf allowed his grim expression to fade into a gentle, understanding smile. Hattie couldn't help but wonder if her grandfather at times wore the same smile. She knew she couldn't doubt that he had good intentions, but Hattie still felt like she didn't agree with what Gandalf thought were 'good' in regards to her. What little comfort his smile was disappeared when the wizard stood up from his shared seat with her. He stared down at her, his dark eyes filled with sympathy.

"I know you have many worries, many of which are not unfounded. But I would have you listen to this last truth; you have the beginnings of friendship here, Miss O'Connor. And I sense it will not be so easy for your to abandon them as you think it will be."

Hattie pouted up at the wizard. Great, now he was trying to guilt trip her. As if she wasn't doing a swell enough job on her own. But no, he wasn't going to win that easily. If he thought he could get her to stick around in this crazy world because of the magic of friendship or whatever, he had another thing coming!

"God, you're just so...so..." Multiple derogatory names crossed her mind, from calling him a Dumbledore wannabe to a senile old man, but Gandalf took away her chance to vent with a slight bow.

"So tired. Goodnight, Miss O'Connor. I suggest you get some sleep."

 _This is pointless. Trying to get a straight answer out of a wizard is like folding a fitted sheet. Why do they have to be like this?_ Hattie groaned as the wizard left her to try and find a comfier rock.

He was no help. None at all. In fact, Hattie had to say that Gandalf only succeed in making things worse. Hattie thought he would have agreed to her that she keep to herself. Now it seemed that she was the only one with that opinion. Maybe then...maybe she was here for a reason? That she was brought here to change something for the better? Like what? She couldn't do anything. She couldn't even touch a goddamn ring without passing out and vomiting all over Aragorn's shoes. But then...why was she brought here? Why could Wolf speak to her? Why did Wolf lead her to the Fellowship? Why did she have Elvish on her back? Why couldn't she remember her life except in bits in pieces? Why-

Hattie shook her head. This is what Gandalf wanted. To get her so confused that she didn't know what she wanted. And she knew what she wanted. She wanted to go home and forget this whole thing. And she was going to. When it came time for Gandalf to leave she would deal with that however she needed to in order to keep the others off her back. It would be hard, but hell, she went through Middle School. If she could survive the bullying there, she could survive anything. Even hobbits crying wouldn't get to her! And when they got to Lothlorien she would march right up to Lady Galadriel and demand two one-way tickets back to the land of television and vaccines. So what if she had the beginnings of friendship here? She had friends back home! Plenty! No names came to mind, but they would!

 _I don't want friends anyway. I want my family. I want to go home._

Hattie sat there on her rock, stewing in her own frustration for quite some time until Wolf surprised her by silently returning to her side.

 _Hey you. Where did you go?_

 _'The elf and I left to chase off the Gollum. He became too close for comfort.'_ Came the dog's answer. He curled up by her feet, gently licking at his muddied paws. For a dog that loved the great outdoors, he always was a bit of a neat freak. Hattie, needing the comfort of his soft fur, reached down and scratched his ear.

 _Have I told you lately how much of a good boy you are?_

 _'I could stand to hear it more.'_ Wolf hummed as she got that sweet spot that made his leg twitch.

Hattie chuckled, knowing that somehow this big goof ball was going to be all she needed. If they had each other, then she would make it home, even if he was as insistent as Gandalf on her staying. She was sure of it. Everything would be alright after Gandalf left, she would be able to handle the others when that time came. It was a small bit of confidence, but it comforted her nonetheless. Who needed friends or a wizard when you had a dog anyway? A big dog with sharp teeth that could shake paws.

Hattie smiled down at him as Wolf lifted his large head onto her lap, huffing a loud breath through his nose. She scratched his ear, and for a moment pretended like she was anywhere other than where she was. She closed her eyes and tried to think of something, the living room of her grandparents' house, her first car, her father's place of business, but no clear image came to mind. She tried concentrating on the Vindolanda dig site, when a sound reached her ears. It was musical in tone, but not in anyway that was familiar to Hattie. Like melting honey and smoke, luxurious and warm. She glanced around, but the cave like environment made it hard to pinpoint the source of the sound. Hattie wanted to find it, needed to, but not because she was scared. In fact, she recognized it as the sound that lulled her awake when she had fainted on the mountain after touching the Ring.

 _It's…beautiful._ Hattie thought as she continued to crane her neck in search of it. She hoped it was an actual sound and not just a new voice in her head. She could only take two. Thankfully, Wolf heard it too, and pointed with his nose.

 _'The elf.'_

Hattie whirled around to see that, yes, it was Legolas. He was perched on a rock far from the others with some old arrows in his lap. He must have found them on their way through the mines, and was now in the process of inspecting them. He would pick up one, look down its length, and finding some fault Hattie couldn't see, he would set it aside and move onto the next. The reject pile was growing rather large, but she supposed and elf was picky about his arrows, in particular when they were made by dwarves.

 _So that's how come he never runs out of arrows. Mystery solved._

But even more interesting was that, while he worked, the elf sang. Hattie couldn't believe such a sound could be made by a voice. She supposed Elvish did have almost a magical quality to it, able to calm animals and bring even the hardest of hearts to tears. Even Hattie could feel her heartbeat slow itself from the after effects of her stressful conversation with Gandalf. She felt compelled by it, and would have tried shifting herself closer to hear it better when Legolas realized he had an audience. He stopped in the middle of a verse, head turning sharply in Hattie's direction. For a brief moment Hattie caught his eye, but she quickly looked away.

Hattie could feel him staring at her still, boring a hole into the back of her head. It was a long minute until she could hear him humming quietly to himself and go back to his work. She bet he was doing that on purpose, knowing that she wanted to hear him.

 _Pointed ear prick._

Hattie had half a mind to go and fetch her iPod and assail his ears with some Arctic Monkeys, but decided he wasn't worth the effort. Gandalf was wrong. She didn't want to apologize to the elf and she didn't want to give up on her old life to stick around this crazy realm. Moreover...she knew that the Fellowship deserved more than her screwing things up for them. That's what the wizard didn't understand. He could believe all he wanted that there was a reason for Hattie being brought over, she knew it wasn't good enough to ruin the legend that she had grown up with. They would get through it like they always did, and they would reach the end in the way they were supposed to. That's the way it would be, and hopefully it would all work out for herself too.

Hattie continued to sit there, firm in her resolve, listening to and pretending not to feel soothed the hum of Legolas's voice until the others started to wake.

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Well, I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter! It might have been a bit slow, but the next one will definitely pick up in pace! Hattie battles orcs and trolls and collapsing stairs as all hell breaks loose in Moria!


	11. And Then All Hell Broke Loose

**Chapter 11; And Then All Hell Broke Loose…Yeah, It's Bad:**

Oh, boy! Here we go! A really long chapter and some action! Well, not right away, but definitely in this chapter are you lovelies going to see Hattie have to survive the last few days in Moria and all the consequences with it! I hope you all enjoy this chapter because I really did when writing it. I love writing action scenes and when things get tense with drama. I tried to turn things around a little, as I think from here on out Hattie's influence/presence on Middle-earth is about to start bringing some big changes to the story we know and love. Anyway, sorry for being late with this chapter...finals doncha know? Enjoy you lovelies!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Hattie kept the watch until the others started to stir and rise. Aragorn and Boromir were first, followed by the hobbits. Wordlessly she nodded at Gimli when he came over to relieve her. The dwarf managed a grunt by way of greeting if it even could be called that.

 _Guess dwarves aren't morning people._

As for Legolas though, he stayed awake until the morning - or what she guessed was morning - with Hattie. He didn't speak with her or look her way after he caught her staring at him while he sang, but he hummed and worked on the arrows he collected until he decided to patrol around about an hour ago. Hattie wondered if maybe he just didn't trust her to keep watch, but then she remembered elf sleeping habits were a bit weird. Namely that they didn't. As far as she could remember during her time with them, Legolas was either awake and sharping his weapons, on guard, or gone patrolling. She supposed she didn't really notice when she herself was trying to catch a couple of winks. She remembered reading that the elves only went into a meditative state when they needed to regain strength, but who knows what that really meant. If it was anything like how Gandalf slept, Hattie rather not witness it, even if she was rather jealous.

 _Looks, immortality, oozing self-confidence, and no need for beauty rest? Why do elves get everything? It's so unfair._

"Miss Hattie? Breakfast." Announced Sam, breaking Hattie's idle thoughts.

She turned towards the small fire the hobbits had going, which when asked Gandalf deemed safe enough for them to make. On it was a frying pan with a couple of pieces of hardtack which they were trying to soften with heat. It was a biscuit-like bread that was harder than biscotti and twice as flavorless. Sam told her before that it was being saved for when all other supplies ran out, so she guessed they finally did. And Hattie could tell it was bumming the hobbits out. It bummed her out too. They had enough to make it through Moria, and so they would have to live with it until they could forage for something better.

Hattie stood to grab her share, pausing when her back cracked loud enough that it earned her a few concerned glances.

"Ouch. I tell you, sitting on rocks is doing no me no favors." Hattie muttered as she tried to stretch it out. Following her towards the fire, Wolf huffed.

 _'At least you have a bedroll. I have nothing but the ground.'_

"Yeah, well, you got fur." Hattie retorted lamely, ignoring those who glanced at her, wondering who she was talking to, "That's like wearing your own personal snuggie."

Wolf snorted at her a bit grumpily, but immediately changed his tune when she split her breakfast in half and gave him his share. He gently took the chunk, walked over to a corner nearby, and chewed on it like a bone. Hattie suddenly found her piece to be even more unappetizing. She ate it though, crumbs and all. Glancing around she could see that Legolas had returned, while Gandalf was back at his perch by the three archways and deeply pondering. Supposing they had a little more time left here, Hattie went for her bags. Taking out her notebook and pencils, she retreated away from the fire and others, opened the book, and started scribbling.

Since Caradhras, Hattie hadn't the chance to record anything besides the door of Moria. Pretty much every night before she had jotted down what happened that day, who said what, and drew at least a hundred doodles. It was something to keep her busy and a way to record her slow descent into madness. Hattie didn't even know what she would do with this thing once she got back. But it kept her hands and mind busy, and if she was busy, she couldn't talk to the others or think about anything.

Especially what Gandalf had talked to her about last night.

It still rang through her head. Every bit of it. Here she was, thinking he was just as much opposed to her messing up things as she was, and instead, the wizard decides to turn into the worst kind of fortune cookie. It was clear to her now that he wasn't going to be of any help, at least not the kind she wanted. Gandalf wanted her to aid the Fellowship, but she knew better. At least, that's what she hoped. She wasn't about to let herself be guilt-tripped by the whole 'beginnings of friendship' thing, or get caught up in the why and how she was brought Middle-earth. None of that mattered as much as her and Wolf getting home. Not even sparing her childhood heroes from pain. What Gandalf seemed to keep forgetting was that she wasn't meant to be here, and nothing could change Hattie's mind about that and where she really belonged. Home.

 _Home. That's right. All that matters is that Wolf and I are going home. I don't care one lick about what Gandalf said. I don't care about anything but me and Wolf. Not about the Fellowship, not about being led right to them, not about waking up in Middle-earth, not about losing my memories, not the tattoo on my back, not Wolf's sudden ability to talk, not my stupid nightmares, not Boromir, and definitely **not** how Legolas is still giving me the cold shoulder._

Hattie felt firm in these convictions, and yet, she knew it was one thing to think and another to do. She had to keep to herself and look out for only her and Wolf. The others would be fine on their own, and so would she. So long as she had Wolf that is. He was on her side, and she was glad. Not only for his company but like Legolas said, he was her protector.

Honestly, how her sweet, loveable dog that used to hide in the bathtub whenever a thunderstorm came managed to kill a creature almost three times his size was beyond her, but she was grateful for it. However…she did find it a tad unnerving that her dog seemed to be on the same side as the wizard. He seemed too also think she was brought here to change something; something about forging her own path and whatever. That, coupled with the fact that he told her to go downstream, which led her right to the Fellowship, _and_ that he seemed to know who Gandalf was when they first met…it made her wonder if she really could trust her dog anymore.

Was he even her dog anymore?

Hattie immediately shook her head vigorously, causing her pencil to smudge the line she was drawing. _Nope. Nope. None of that. Wolf is my dog. And we're going home. End of story._

 _'Yes, it would be the end of the story…'_ Wolf's voice hummed in her head, sounding dissatisfied in her resolution. Hattie glanced up to glare at the dog that was still working on his hardtack, about to tell him to quit it or she would shave him like a poodle when they got back when Frodo came over.

"We have waited here what seems an age." The hobbit sighed tiredly as he settled beside Hattie. She briefly met his smile in greeting, but then went back to hunching over her notebook. Frodo, however, did not sense from her posture her desire to be alone and continued talking in a friendly tone.

"Miss Hattie? Might you not know the way? You were awfully clever before at the Gates of Moria."

"Me?" Hattie scoffed, "Nah, you're the one who figured it out. As for this place…"

Looking briefly up from her notebook, she scanned the three passages that lay before them. It was true, she had read the books and watched the movies probably a hundred times. But in all honesty…she couldn't remember which way they went. Honestly! She might be a huge nerd, but she was bound to forget some little detail sometime.

"I don't really know," Hattie told him truthfully. She supposed she could tell Gandalf to 'follow his nose' but why bother? It would happen on its own eventually.

"A pity." Sighed the hobbit. Hattie hoped that was the end of the chat, but Frodo stayed. Even if it was somewhat rude, Hattie went back to her drawing. She could tell the hobbit was watching her, peering over her shoulder, which irritated her. Not only did she want to be alone, but it was also one of her peeves to have people watch her while she drew.

"What are you drawing Miss Hattie?" Came his inevitable question. Hattie silently lifted the notebook so Frodo could see. As his eyes traced over the hill where the Fellowship had faced off against the Wargs, she immediately regretted showing it to him. It made her self-conscious to have someone look at her drawings, as she really wasn't much of an artist. Her skills were more for schematics and layouts of digs, and she did much better with the subjects right in front of her rather than going off of memory. But to her surprise, the hobbit smiled up at her in approval.

"That is very good!" He said admiringly, "My Uncle Bilbo can sketch. He made all sorts of illustrations about his adventures when he took the time to write them down. Perhaps when my adventure is over I shall do the same."

Here, his smile faded, and Hattie stopped drawing to look at him when his voice lost its cheerfulness. The sight of it made Hattie feel uncomfortable.

"Only…it is a long way home yet. And I haven't the talent for drawing or penmanship."

"Maybe I can be your blogger than." Hattie snorted to herself. Frodo looked back up at her in confusion.

"My what?" His brow furrowed.

"Never mind. That joke is too meta for this world." She chuckled again, causing Frodo to lose his frown and replace it with a bemused grin at her antics. Hattie smiled back for a second before turning away to her notebook again.

 _Idiot. Supposed to be distancing myself. Damn this Hufflepuff nature of mine._

"You are a strange one, Miss Hattie," Frodo added after a moment. Seeing Hattie's mouth open to protest, Frodo hurried on, "I know you do not like to hear it, but you are. You laugh even in this dark place."

Hattie squirmed as she could feel her cheeks redden at the compliment. She wasn't somebody who could handle praise at the best of times. She never felt deserving of them or instead that the person telling her had really poor judgment. But right here, now, and from a hobbit? Hattie could only act on reflex and deflect before the hobbits could see how hard she was struggling to hold back a big dumb grin.

"You're one to talk. You're a _Baggins_. You're as strange as they come."

Frodo actually smirked at that and seemed ready to reply with something, when something must have moved in his periphery. He glanced behind them to follow it, but when he did his face went pale. His eyes went big and he backed away from his spot beside Hattie as if the stone had suddenly burned him.

"What's with him?" Asked Merry as he and the other hobbits around the fire caught their friend's panicked retreat to Gandalf. Hattie too was curious and glanced behind her. Staring down into the darkness that enveloped the long, treacherous stairs, she got her answer.

Glowing eyes, big and hollow and yellow like a pair of lanterns, glowed in the dark below. They had been trained on the spot where Frodo had been but flickered to meet Hattie's when it noticed her gaze. A shiver of disgust and fear shot her out of her seat when the eyes disappeared and some lanky _thing_ crawled even closer to the stairs.

"Fuck!" She hissed as she scrambled away, retreating to the fire with the others. Going over to where Wolf lay beside Gimli, she curled herself up as tightly to the dog as she could.

"Lass? What is it?" The dwarf asked her.

"Nothing! It's nothing!" She told him, though the panic in her voice made it obvious she was lying. Hell, of course, she was panicked! It was Gollum! That thing gave her the creeps. Worse, nightmares when she was a little girl! He just freaked her out, and for good reason. Frodo could pity that thing all he wanted, but Hattie knew Gollum ate _babies_ as well as fish when he could his hands on them.

By the hushed whispers between Frodo and Gandalf now, the wizard seemed to be giving Frodo his pep talk about sympathy and what not, but Hattie had half a mind to tell the hobbit to forget all that. Gollum deserved everything he got in her opinion. She ignored the instinct though, as well as the glance Legolas had cast her way from his place beside Boromir and Aragorn at the top of the stairs. His eyes traced over her, taking note of her shiver, before turning to stare off into the dark. One might think he was just staring off into space, but Hattie could see he was following the movement of Gollum below. It brought her some comfort to know that someone had their eye on the thing, but for Hattie, it wasn't enough.

 _Hey, you._ Hattie focused her thoughts on Wolf, _Why don't you and your new best friend go scare off the bug-eyed creep?_

The dog beside her, having finished his meager breakfast, licked at his paws.

 _'I doubt the cursed creature will get any closer. And the elf and I are hardly friends.'_

Hattie snorted derisively as she moved over to her packs to put away her notebook. She knew this scene and knew it meant that, whether she liked it or not, they were going to leave this place soon. While she wasn't looking forward to seeing more of Moria, if it put distance between her and Gollum, then she was all for it. She was folding up her bedroll when Wolf continued.

 _'We merely have a shared interest when it comes to your welfare. You are rather troublesome after all.'_

Hattie frowned at his words and turned her face towards Wolf.

 _Interest? What the hell does that mean?_

Wolf did not seem willing to answer her, but before Hattie could press, Gandalf suddenly exclaimed from his perch.

"Ah!" His eyes lit up as he looked down the right-hand passage, Frodo following his gaze, "It's that way."

The others looked towards the wizard, halting their whispered conversations.

"He's remembered!" Merry exclaimed happily.

"No." Clarified Gandalf as he stood himself up, "But the air doesn't smell so foul down here."

Excited, the hobbits left the fire to gather around Gandalf. They were followed by Gimli and Hattie with Wolf at her side, leaving Boromir and Aragorn to deal with the fire and supplies. Legolas waited for them to follow the others, Boromir wisely making a few torches to carry, before bringing up the rear of the Fellowship.

"If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." Gandalf shared with the hobbit before starting down the stone steps.

"Well, great." Muttered Hattie as she followed after them, "Now I got a Froot Loops commercial stuck in my head."

 **~o0o~**

For eight long, dark hours – not counting two brief halts, once for the tired hobbits to recover and once when Hattie slipped on something and crashed into Aragorn – they marched on. No more icky corpses or sightings of Gollum troubled them as they went, but then again it was hard to see anything outside of the faint gleam of the wizard's staff and the torches. As far as Hattie could judge the passage they were following was slowly inclining. Soon, with great mounting curves, the path grew loftier and wider. The farther they went the fewer openings or tunnels adjoining there were, and the floor was level and walls smooth.

 _We must be getting closer to the city part of Moria._ Hattie concluded. By the blisters on her feet, she guessed they walked some fifteen miles, always with the road climbing upwards. When they had nearly reached as far as the hobbits could go, Gandalf began to look for a place where they could sleep. Then, suddenly, the walls to the right and left vanished as they passed through an arched doorway into a black and empty space. A strange draft of cold air washed over them in the darkness, and the Fellowship crowded themselves together, feeling very exposed.

Gandalf, however, seemed pleased.

"I chose the right way," He said with a grin, further leading the Fellowship into the cavernous space. "At last we are coming to the habitable parts, and I guess that we are not far now from the eastern side. From the feeling of the air, we must be in a wide hall. I will now risk a little more light."

Raising his staff high, the soft light at the top grew. It pushed back the dark, and slowly a vast roof far above their heads upheld by mighty pillars of stone came into view. Before them and on either side these pillars stood, repeating over and over into the shadows so that they seemed to never end. Black walls polished as smooth as glass flashed and glittered at the edge of the light. It was such a contrast to what they had traveled through so far, vast and open and glorious.

Gimli gasped at the sight, and from beside him, Hattie could have sworn she saw his eyes glistening with tears.

"Behold! The great realm and the Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf!" Announced Gandalf.

"Now there's an eye-opener and no mistake!" Sam muttered, his wonderment shared by the others. Even Legolas looked about him, taking note of his surroundings with calm awe. Hattie was absolutely beaming as she craned her neck this way and that. Going to the base of one of the pillars, she inspected the detailed carving that surrounded it.

"Ah, man…I wish my camera was working." She muttered to herself.

The Fellowship walked on only a little ways further before Gandalf lessened the light on his staff.

"That is all that I shall venture on for the present," he explained. "There used to be windows on the mountain-side, and shafts leading out to the light in the upper reaches of the Mines. If I am right, we may actually see the morning soon."

At this, smiles went around the hobbits. It had been nearly three days since they had last seen natural light. Hattie had to admit, even she was looking forward to it…sort of. Not really. In fact, her stomach was already doing little flips, making her feel sick with anxiety so that she gripped at her walking stick with white knuckles. She just hoped they were going by the book, and that they would actually rest here in the great hall and deal with the all-out chaos tomorrow, rather than the movie which immediately had them at Balin's tomb after this.

 _Oh, god, please let the book be right,_ she prayed. _Please, please, please, oh please, oh please, oh please let it be by the book._

"But in the meanwhile, we had better go no further. Let us rest if we can. Things have gone well so far, and the greater part of the dark road is over. But we are not through yet, and it is a long way down to the Gates that open on the world."

"Oh, thank god." Hattie breathed. One more night. She had one more night before orcs and trolls and balrogs. It wasn't much, but it was something. Maybe she should sort out her will.

 _I give it all to Wolf. No, wait. Think positive. I'm going to live._

Aragorn found them a fallen pillar to sleep next to that buffered against the draft. Gathering together closely, each made to settle for the evening. Hattie barely munched on her hardtack, giving most of it to Wolf since it was mostly inedible. She set her bedroll by Aragorn rather than the hobbits or Gandalf as was her tendency. She just did not want to be around the wizard right now, and definitely not the hobbits since it turned out she couldn't resist being nice to them. Aragorn made it easy, as he was usually silent or talking with Legolas. Thankfully the elf had set up his spot-on top of the fallen pillar, resting upon the perch to keep a wary eye on the gloom around them.

Opening her notebook, Hattie hoped to lose herself to the writing and sketches, but it was little use. The darkness was all about them, hollow and immense and oppressing. Dwarrowdelf was impressive, to be sure, but Hattie knew what would transpire here tomorrow. The very thought of it set her in a panic. Her instincts were non-stop screaming at her, making her shiver though she wasn't all that cold. She wanted to run, but what use would it be? She didn't know the way out, and she definitely did not know the way to Lothlorien. Hattie's only choice was to wait for the inevitable, each second ticking by like a timebomb.

 _God…why couldn't I have been thrown into some nicer fantasy movie?_ Hattie sighed to herself, _Or a romantic comedy? I'd even take a musical at this point!_

Focusing on her sketch, Hattie tried to calm herself down by thinking of anything other than where she was. Wolf wasn't nearby to comfort her, as he left when after she gave him the hardtack to find something actually substantial to eat. Hattie was considering trying to call him back, but it wasn't fair to keep him from eating. He would need his strength too for the morning. Especially since he really was her only defense. Hattie wondered if maybe she should spend her time on one last crash course lesson in fighting with Boromir when Gimli came over.

"Well, _historian_ , what make you of my brethren's home? Do you mark it well?" He asked her, arching a brow at the sketch of the column they camped next to that Hattie had just begun to draw. He seemed preened for her praise, and Hattie didn't have it in her to deny him.

"You tell me." She turned her notebook towards him to give him a better look, again, feeling self-conscious about showing her work. But as she had been paying particular attention to the ruins carved into the stone pillar, she figured that Gimli would appreciate her sketch. The dwarf scrutinized it with a thoughtful frown and then nodded after a few moments.

"Aye. You mark it well enough I suppose."

"T-thanks." Hattie blushed, knowing it to be a compliment, before quickly thinking of something to say, "So, this must have been a trading hall, right?"

She was only half guessing, as she remembered reading somewhere that this part had been a market of some kind. Not only that, from her archeological perspective, it had all the telltale signs from its position and layout. No doubt there was a huge flow of foot traffic through here, serving as a hub between the mines and the actual city. Her guess proved right when Gimli nodded.

"Yes. It was the connection between the mines and the city. A market would have been open at all hours for the different mining shifts. It would have been busy, day and night, dwarves trading anything and everything from swords to sapphires."

Hattie, imagining such a sight, sighed.

"God, I would have loved to have been around this place in its heyday. It must have been beautiful."

Awkwardly, Gimli scratched his chin through his beard.

"There is a song that speaks of the light and splendor of Dwarrowdelf." He hesitated, "Would you…care to hear it?"

Hattie's eyes instantly lit up as she faced the dwarf again.

"Hell yeah!" Hattie blurted out a little too loud. This gained the attention of the others, and Hattie tried to curb her enthusiasm before it cost her one of her lifelong dreams of being serenaded by a dwarf.

"I mean," She cleared her throat, "if you would be so kind, good sir."

Gimli nodded, and without a word stomped into the middle of the small circle the Fellowship made.

All eyes were on him, no one quite sure what to expect. The hobbits and sometimes Aragorn or Boromir took center stage some nights to serenade the others of glorious battles, wonderous feasts, or doomed lovers. Surprisingly, even though Aragorn could not match Legolas in spellbinding ability, he sang in Elvish like it was his own language. Boromir, in Hattie's opinion, was the better though, as he had a kind of smoky quality to his voice that would have teen girls shrieking. But Hattie forgot all about Boromir as Gimli started his song, standing there as he began to chant in a deep voice...echoes running away into the dark...

 _The world was young, the mountains green,_

 _No stain yet on the Moon was seen,_

 _No words were laid on stream or stone_

 _When Durin woke and walked alone…_

He sang of Mirrormere, he sang of lost crowns, he sang of a grey world and mountains old. Of haps and minstrels, of axes and swords, of hammers striking anvils, of lamps made of crystals, of golden roofs and silver floors, of Durin and his folk...Gimli sang until the dark did not seem so bad, and Hattie regretted every bad thought she had about Moria. He sang with such emotion, more than probably any of them thought the dwarf capable of expressing. Gimli went on for some time, and when he finished his song, the others remained silent until the last echo escaped their hearing.

"Gimli…that was…you…damn, I mean...uh...I mean you sing good! Really good!" Hattie struggled to say something, anything, that could convey how starstruck she was, but the dwarf took her failing words for the praise they were. Everyone else seemed as uplifted by this...well, almost everyone.

" _Good_ is not the word for it." Said Legolas to himself. Gimli caught it however and whipped his head so quickly towards the elf as if he intended to headbutt him.

"Listen here, you pointed-eared–"

"I like that!" interrupted Sam, inadvertently defusing the tension. "I should like to learn it. _In Moria, in Khazad-dûm!_ Are there still piles of jewels and gold lying about here still?"

"Piles of jewels?" spoke up Gandalf, "No. The Orcs have often plundered Moria; there is nothing left in the upper halls. And since the dwarves fled, no one dares to seek the shafts and treasuries down in the deep places: they are drowned in water or in a shadow of fear."

The hobbit, absolutely horrified, glanced between the wizard and the dwarf.

"Then…why did they return?"

"For mithril," Hattie answered before Gandalf had a chance. The wizard frowned at her, probably for stealing his line, as Gimli nodded and spoke.

"Aye. That was my cousin's intent when he departed, for only in Moria can it be mined. But looking upon this place, while great, I fear it has become dark and dreadful. I doubt now that Balin ever came here…"

Hattie then felt Gimli's eyes on her, and his look made her shift nervously under it.

"Lass? Would you know of his whereabouts then? With your gift?"

Hattie blinked, hearing him correctly and yet hoping she didn't.

"Huh?"

"Do you see my cousin with your gift of sight?" Gimli clarified, and Hattie felt a cold sweat break out over her. She couldn't help but glance over to Gandalf.

The wizard arched a brow at her panicked expression, but other than that gave her no sign or indication on how to answer. Was this some kind of punishment? Did Gandalf ask Gimli to ask her that? No...Gandalf didn't know that Balin was dead, not yet anyway. But that meant he couldn't tell her how to answer. And even if the wizard did know the truth, he would probably spout some kind of mumbo jumbo about sharing the burden of her knowledge without being tactless. He was probably testing her now or something. But Hattie didn't know how to be tactless! She didn't know how to say anything without being as unsubtle as a ton of bricks falling on top of a piano!

"I'm...I'm sure he's fine." Hattie suddenly blurted out.

At her strange answer, Gimli frowned, but there was a relief in his eyes that made Hattie feel suddenly sick. She didn't exactly say anything that was an outright lie...expect it was. Balin wasn't fine. He was dead! That was about as un-fine as someone could be!

 _God, why do I do this to myself?!_ Screamed Hattie's internal panic. To make things worse, from the corner of her eyes Hattie feel Legolas turn to look at her, piercing her with his stare. He probably knew she was lying with his freakish ears again, and that made her sudden sickness intensify. She expected him to shout and denounce her to the others any second now, making her jump in fright when Gimli spoke again.

"Truly lass?"

"Y-yeah." Hattie, instinctively and unwisely, lied again. Even worse, she smiled at Gimli. And Gimli smiled back, seemingly reassured. Before anything else could be said, Hattie turned back to her notebook. Picking up the pencil again was about as appealing as stabbing herself with it though. She could still feel Legolas staring at her. He remained seated on his perch on top the fallen column and for all appearances seemed calm, but there was no mistaking the mistrustfulness in his gaze.

Worse, Hattie could tell that Gandalf was staring at her too. It probably didn't take all his years of wisdom and experience to see a guilty conscious in front of him when there was one. When he lit his pipe and was still staring at her, Hattie knew he was going to come over and talk with her. But she couldn't handle another one of his speeches! He said what he had to say and she did not agree with it, and that should be that. Hattie knew better than the wizard anyway. Everything would be fine.

Still, just in case he did try to talk to her, Hattie decided it would be better to be busy. Standing up, she grabbed her staff and walked over to Boromir.

"Um, hey, Boromir?"

"Yes, my lady?" He looked up from the hardtack that was still in his hands, seemingly debating whether or not it was even worth the energy it took to chew.

"Do you…that is, would you mind?" Hattie gestured with the staff. She wanted to practice a little with it to get used to it, but more importantly, she just wanted to think about anything other than what was coming tomorrow. That, and to get away from Gandalf and Legolas of course, who were higher on Hattie's avoid list than Boromir was currently.

 _Maybe I should add Gimli to that list too. And Frodo. God, by the time I leave this world the only one who I'll still be talking to is my dog. How sad is that?_

"It would be my honor," Boromir answered with a smile, understanding her poor question. Hattie wordlessly followed him a little ways from the group, intent on listening to him and completely ignoring the following stares of the elf prince and wizard and the niggling guilt that churned her stomach.

 **~o0o~**

Hattie's first waking thought was absolute panic and terror. She had slept little, tossing and turning mostly while Frodo took the night watch. Poor little hobbit must have fallen asleep though, as Aragorn now seemed to be the one keeping watch. But it was a sign that their rest here would soon be over as the ranger allowed the fire to slowly die, but not before lighting their torches again. Hattie felt like throwing up when the others started to stir and wake. Panic flooded through her, making her breath come out short as if she had run a marathon in her sleep.

 _Today. Shit's going to hit the fan today. I'm still not ready._

Wolf, who had returned sometime in the night smelling wet and musty, whined. Curled up beside him, Hattie hugged him a little closer.

"Will you…will you protect me?" She barely whispered, only to then shake her head, "No, that's too much to ask. Will you…that is, will you stay with me? No matter what?"

No matter what happened today, Hattie knew that if Wolf was with her, somehow it would be alright. He would protect her as best he could, but more importantly to Hattie, he was going to help her get home. She didn't care about anything except getting them home, and while Wolf might be acting weird now, he was her dog. He would want what she wanted...right?

 _'To my last breath.'_

"And we're going home, right? You'll help me get home?" She asked, knowing that for some reason this question was even more important. And because it was, Wolf thought of his answer for a time. Just when Hattie was starting to worry, Wolf huffed out through his nose, making Hattie's face warm with his less than pleasant smelling breath.

 _'If that is what you truly wish.'_

Hattie laughed, but it came out sounding more like a choked sob. More than anything right now, that's what she needed to hear. She was going home. No matter what, she and Wolf were going home.

"Good boy. I swear, once we get home, you're going to get thoroughly pampered. Hell, I think we both deserve a manicure."

After a few more moments of cuddling and trying not to let her worry eat away her insides, Hattie saw the others all finally wake. Gandalf practically leaped up with an odd excitement.

"Good morning!" He announced a little too cheerfully for Hattie's taste, "Before today is over we ought to find the Great Gates and see the waters of Mirrormere lying in the Dimrill Dale before us."

"About time too!" Cried Pippin happily, "I've had enough of being underground. We hobbits weren't made for these kinds of grim places."

"Pippin, you live in a hole." Hattie pointed out as she grabbed her staff.

"Yes, well, a nice hole. A cozy hole. One with a rug in the foyer and no skeletons." He countered.

"Touché."

They had another breakfast of hardtack, but Hattie gave all her share to Wolf. Eating was the last thing on her mind right now. When the others were packed up and the fire doused, they formed a line behind Gandalf. Hattie, consciously trying to avoid the hobbits, Gimli, Gandalf, and Boromir, ended up behind Aragorn. Which was a bad decision actually, as that placed Legolas in front of her too. He barely spared her a glance before the group got moving, and Hattie was forced to look at his flawless golden tresses swish side to side with every step he took.

 _It is good to know that, no matter what happens, at least Legolas has fantastic hair._

Silently, they all marched under the northernmost archway, which Gandalf and Aragorn debated was the best way to get to the surface. The way was mostly clear through the grand hall until they found themselves in a wide corridor. Hattie kept an eye on Gimli as he walked behind her, ready for him to run off from the group at any moment now. That was her only cue to work off of, as the corridor was filled with all kinds of corners and crags, none of which Hattie could tell would be the one to Balin's tomb or not. She was as prepared as she could be at any rate, with Wolf at her side, her staff in her hand, and her shoelaces double knotted and tucked away.

 _Like Hell I'm going to die by getting tripped up._

"Miss O'Connor, would you mind helping an old man?" Gandalf suddenly spoke in front of her. Hattie flinched at his voice and stared up at him.

"Huh?"

He was holding his arm out towards her, heavily leaning against his staff as if tired. He seemed to have allowed Legolas and Aragorn to bypass him in order to fall in line with her. Hattie knew this trick, however, having seen him pull it on Frodo when the wizard wanted to talk to him.

"Oh! Uh, well, I don't think-" She started to excuse herself and move past him when he put a firm arm around her shoulder. For a guy who kept playing the 'old man' card, his grip was brutal.

"Fine." Hattie groaned, seeing no choice.

To her relief, they simply kept walking for a time. Wolf didn't mind having to follow behind the pair of them, but Hattie didn't like not being able to see him. She kept glancing back to make sure he was still there, all the while also watching for Gimli to make his move. This staved off the conversation between her and Gandalf for a few minutes, but those minutes quickly passed.

"Miss O'Connor, I must say you look dreadful. Did you not sleep?" Gandalf looked down at her, his brow arched in wry amusement.

"You know I didn't." Came her reluctant reply. They both well knew that this day was not going to end well, and yet he seemed as high-spirited as ever. Why was it she was taking his soon to be death more serious than he was?

"Yes. And I must admit, I am disappointed by how you answered Gimli last night." Spoke the wizard in a low voice. He paused and gauged the very embarrassed and guilty looking expression that overcame Hattie, "By your reaction, I take it you did not speak truthfully. While I won't press for particulars, I will warn you that lies do have a way of biting the very tongue that forged them. I fear that our little heart to heart the other night did not inspire you any."

Hattie pouted her lips to keep herself from saying anything. The wizard was just trying to get her goat. She wouldn't be baited. While she admitted that she didn't answer Gimli's question the best way she possibly could, it was as good as she could do. Besides, the wizard didn't know that everything was going to be alright for them anyway. Well, besides his imminent death of course. Hattie would keep doing what she was doing and that was that. Nothing this wizard could possibly say would change her mind and have her play fortune cookie for the Fellowship. She would just keep ignoring the wizard and hope he would get the hint.

"Very well, Miss O'Connor. I shall give you the 'instruction' you so desire."

Hattie glanced up at Gandalf, immediately forgetting her resolve. The wizard knew she was desperate to have any kind of useful advice, and so, decided to part her with all that she would need. Even if it was not what she wanted.

"You are lost and wandering, though you think you know the road to follow. You follow it with blind faith, and it will lead you poorly. This is true even if you do not accept it. But all you need is a little light, and you shall see that there a thousand paths to take, many which may lead you to greater things than even you can imagine." His grip on her shoulder became reassuring, and his eyes displayed a kind sympathy at the small, helpless, young woman.

"Look for that light. Look for it here, in this world…in this company…and in you…"

At the end of his short speech, Hattie blinked up at the wizard in absolute confusion. Gandalf frowned, wondering if he might need to repeat himself when Hattie suddenly spoke.

"What the hell kind of bullshit is that?!" She snorted, "How's that supposed to help me?!"

Gandalf looked quite put off by this reaction of hers, and so let go of her shoulder. Hattie supposed he thought her ungrateful, but she really couldn't care less as she started to see red. This wizard just did not get it! No wonder he was a disturber of the peace! Here he was, preying on her insecurities and trying to get her to go along with his mad scheme again!

 _What is this guys problem anyway?! I don't care about light or paths or greater things! I want to go the fuck home!_

"You can heed it or not, Miss O'Connor. I have said all that I can say to you." The wizard huffed indignantly. Hattie's knuckles turned white as her grip on her staff tightened while she fought the urge to smack the wizard over the head with it.

"God, you're such a…such a…a Dumble-!"

"Dumbledore?" Gandalf interrupted when she started to become too loud, "Yes, you have called me that before. Frankly, I am not certain how it is insulting."

"Oh, trust me. It's insulting! Very, very _insulting!_ " Hattie hissed at him. The wizard merely shrugged and prepared to quicken his pace in order place himself back at the head of the group again.

"I see not why you object to such advice. You have a similar phrase inked into your back if I recall."

Hattie stopped walking, causing Gandalf to glance back at her. Her anger disappeared almost instantly, and in its place was utter confusion.

"What?"

 _"Ilya i laurëa ná, mirilya lá, Queni yar ranyar ullumë vanwë umir._ That is what it says, yes? Or so Legolas told me. _"_ The wizard asked her as he grabbed her shoulder again in order to keep her from stalling the others behind her. She allowed herself to be pulled along with no resistance.

"It does?" She asked, curious despite her previous convictions otherwise. How could she not be though? The words Gandalf spoke…they sounded like Elvish…

"I am to understand you do not know the words upon your own back?" Gandalf frowned down at her. Hattie didn't like the condescension in his voice.

"Can't you just cut me some slack for once?" She huffed, "What does it say?"

 _"Ilya i laurëa ná, mirilya lá, Queni yar ranyar ullumë vanwë umir."_ He repeated for her quietly and yet knew many of the company were listening despite this precaution. They pretended otherwise, but it was rather difficult to have a private conversation in the middle of a crowd.

"Well, that's a mouthful," Hattie grumbled, still not understanding. Gandalf, as she requested, cut her some slack.

"It translates to 'All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost'. It's part of a poem composed by my dear friend, Bilbo Baggins. He wrote it in honor of Aragorn, whom he met a long time ago after his incident with the dragon. So, you can imagine Aragorn's and Legolas's surprise to see the first verse written on your back." Here, he paused to chuckle, "As I have said. It seems you were fated to meet with us, one way or another."

Hattie was absolutely in shock. She couldn't even begin to process anything that Gandalf had just told her. She just wanted to write it off as some sick joke.

"You...you're not pulling my leg, are you?" She asked helplessly, wringing her hands against the grain of her staff.

"No." Gandalf frowned in distaste.

Not able to believe him, Hattie glanced down at Wolf.

 _Did you know about this?_

 _'I'm a dog. I can't read.'_

Hattie...well, she had nothing to say to this. So she started to laugh instead. It was a shrill laugh, almost like a hyena finally cracking up in the head. It frightened the hobbits.

"Miss O'Connor?" Asked Gandalf in concern.

 _God, this is ironic! Or is it just morbidly coincidental? Either way, it sucks!_

"Miss O'Connor, is something funny?"

"No!" Hattie finally answered the wizard, gasping between her mad chuckles.

"Then why are you laughing?" Gandalf frowned.

"Because I don't know how else to cope right now!"

Hattie's fight for air and sanity kept her from noticing a glimmer of light ahead of the group. This glimmer grew stronger as they approached a doorway to their right. The stone doors were on their hinges and standing half open, leading to a square chamber. It was dimly lit at best, but being so long in the dark it was dazzling bright to them. The light seemed to rest on a great slab of white stone, and immediately Hattie shut her mouth when she finally noticed it.

 _No...no, no, no, oh, god. I'm not ready yet! I'm not ready!_

The Fellowship slowed as they approached it, and when the bodies of dwarves littered on the floor became apparent, Gimli cried out in dismay.

"Gimli!" Gandalf called after him. It was too late, Gimli was already in the chamber, disturbing the dust of several years in the wake of his steps. He ran straight for the white stone tomb, cleaning the inscription at the base of it with his hands until he could read it.

"No! No!" He shouted, his worst fears confirmed, "No!"

The dwarf started to sob and collapsed before the tomb, the grief in his voice reaching everyone. The Fellowship followed after Gimli, Boromir almost immediately going to his side to place a hand on the dwarf's shoulder. Gandalf went over to the tomb as Gimli did and reading the runes inscribed there for everyone, though most already guessed what they meant.

"'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria'" Gandalf sighed, "…he is dead then. It's as I feared."

By now everyone was inside the chamber, disturbed by this news and the bodies of the dwarves that were strewn about. Bones and decaying bodies seemed everywhere, and Hattie didn't need all her training to know these ones had died only a few years ago. Broken swords and ax-heads and shields made it apparent how these dwarves met their end, especially when a few blackened blades could be seen sticking out of their backs. The chamber had a large section of wall fallen on the eastern side, near to where the light shone, which Hattie noted would be how they would be exiting this place after done with the mess of goblins and trolls. But this did not comfort her any. In fact, it if wasn't for Wolf gently grabbing her sleeve with his teeth and dragging her in, she might have never stepped inside the chamber.

 _I don't want to...I'm not ready..._

 _'I know.'_

Gandalf handed off his staff and pointed hat to the nearest hobbit, which happened to be Pippin, before going over to a corpse that had leaned itself against Balin's tomb. Hattie guessed that was Ori, one of the thirteen dwarves in the Hobbit, and like she knew he would Gandalf gently took the book from the dead man's hands. It was large and battered, probably molded in some places, and as the wizard opened it dirt fell from the pages.

" _Kilmin_ _thatur ni zaram kalil ra narag. Kheled-zâram…Balin tazlifi…_ " (A crown of stars in the cold, black water of Kheled-zaram…Balin sleeps…) Gimli started to chant. It reminded Hattie of the song he only sang the other night. Before his voice had entertained and enthralled them, now, it worsened the horrors of the room. The hobbits looked ready to jump out of their skins, and Legolas seemed to be on high alert as if the shadows were going to attack them at any moment.

"We must move on, we cannot linger!" He whispered urgently to Aragorn. Hattie, having remained back by the door, found the resolve to come closer.

"Just give Gimli a minute, would you?" She asked, boldly meeting Legolas's eyes when he glanced back at her. He quickly ignored her though and continued to observe the room for signs of enemies. By this time Gimli had stopped his sobs, allowing for Gandalf to fill the eerie silence by reading aloud from the book.

"We have barred the gates…but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes."

A sudden dread seemed to tear through the company at the wizard's words. Hattie ignored it, however, paying attention to something far more important.

Pippin was slowly backing, looking everywhere as if hoping that something good might be found in this place. When he bumped into the well, the one with a corpse sitting upon it and tangled in a chain attached to a bucket, his interest was captured.

 _Oh, god. Here we go._

Hattie decided to get into position. She knew, from the hundreds of times she watched this scene and reviewed in her head on the way to Moria, that the best place would be with the hobbits and by Gandalf. Doing just that, she kept a discrete eye on Pippin as he started to reach out towards an arrow that was sticking out of the corpse's chest. What happened next would be inevitable...and yet Hattie almost wished she had the courage to go stop him.

 _No, no changing anything. This has to be the way it goes. This has to happen because it needs to and then I'm one step closer to getting home._

From her side, Wolf whined, but in agreement or uneasiness, Hattie couldn't tell.

"Drums…drums…in the deep." Gandalf looked up slowly from the book, and turned the smudged, bloodstained page. All of the Fellowship began to glance around uncomfortably, their nerves seemingly on end. Hattie brought her staff up before her, ready to jump into the defense position Boromir showed her last night.

"We cannot get out…" Gandalf continued, reading the last, single line, a mere scrawl fading out at the bottom of the page. When the silence felt ready to shatter at the tension, he looked up from the company and spoke, "They are-!"

"You knew."

Hattie, ready for the crash of metal, jumped instead at the sound of another voice that broke the trance. Having been turned to watch Pippin - who was now still and looking towards her - Hattie turned to see Gimli suddenly standing in front of her.

"What?" She asked, practically hugging her staff to her. Where was the crash? Gandalf should be yelling at poor Pippin now, and the drums should be starting. Where were the drums? Why was Gimli looking at her like her with such hate-filled eyes? Why was he holding his ax in front of him?

 _Uh-oh. This is not good._

"You knew of this." Gimli repeated, his voice seething, "You knew my cousin was dead before we entered Moria."

Hattie's eyes widened and immediately a panic went through her. This was not supposed to be happening. Why was this happening? What was that Gandalf told her about lies? What should she do?

"I…I don't…" Hattie started without really knowing what she was going to say. What was she supposed to? Sorry I knew all along that your second cousin was dead and buried but I didn't want to tell you? No, wait a minute. None of them knew that she really knew this would happen. Gimli was just blowing off steam. She'd play ignorant and then this whole mess will move forward and they will leave Moria. Good plan.

"I didn't know about this." Hattie lied almost convincingly, glancing at Gandalf and Legolas to gauge their reactions. She didn't have time to tell if they knew she was lying, because Gimli took her avoiding his gaze as a definite sign that she was.

"Speak the truth, witch. _Now_." He practically growled at her. Wolf, sensing the threat in the dwarf's voice, started to growl himself. This made things go from bad to worse as the others in the Fellowship started to tense, Aragorn's hand drifting over to the side he kept his sword.

Realizing that this was quickly getting out of hand, Hattie turned towards the wizard helplessly.

"Gandalf? I what do I-"

"You answer me, lass!" Gimli shouted, making Hattie jump back a little, "You answer me and no riddles!"

Everyone was looking at Hattie, staring and waiting to see what she would say. But Hattie had nothing to say. She could only look from the dwarf to the wizard, absolutely lost. This was not supposed to be happening. The drums should have started by now, the fight upon them, and yet here she was with an angry dwarf vaguely threatening her. Nothing was happening and yet Hattie felt like the world was moving to fast for her now to keep up, her mind in a fog. She needed to do something to get things moving again, and so, said the first thing that tripped over her tongue.

"I'm…sorry." She whispered, hoping that would fix everything. But no drums beat. Instead, all of the Fellowship glanced at one another in confusion…and some towards Hattie with suspicion. It was then she realized she had chosen her words _very_ poorly.

 _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_

"So, you did lie," Gimli concluded. Immediately Hattie tried to backpaddle the conversation.

"N-no! I didn't! I mean, I didn't mean to-"

"Didn't mean to? Didn't mean to _what?_ " He snarled, "Did not mean to allow me to build my hopes? To smile in my face whilst I shared with you my teachings, my song, knowing my kin lay here rotting?"

"Master Gimli, please. You cannot blame the girl." Spoke up Gandalf finally. His look towards Hattie was exasperated, but thankfully he wanted to move past this mistake as much as Hattie did. No doubt he was already thinking up another long and painful monologue for Hattie to sit through to once more drive his lessons home. But the dwarf was not having it.

"And why not? She said my cousin would be well!"

At his shouting, Wolf's growl grew louder. Gimli, reflexively, brought his axe up higher. This sent a small ripple of alarm through the Fellowship, each wondering if the animal would attack. Seeing Aragorn reach for his sword, Hattie threw down her staff and reached for Wolf's collar, pulling the dog back.

"I said 'I sure he's fine'! That's not the same!" Hattie hastily explained, her gut churning with guilt and panic. When she woke up this morning, she'd rather face anything than the Balrog. But right now, she'd take that over the hatred in Gimli's eyes.

"You dare to split hairs with me?!" Gimli spat, stomping closer to her. Hattie kept pulling Wolf back as his growls now snarled his lips, retreating farther until she almost bumped into Pippin.

"You weren't supposed to know! Not until now! Otherwise, we wouldn't be here and then Gandalf-!"

 ** _"Silence yourself, Miss O'Connor!"_** Shouted Gandalf furiously, cutting her off from her panicked rambling.

Hattie hadn't even realized what she had been saying, but in the silence that followed, it was pretty obvious everyone else did. Too late, Hattie clapped her hands over her mouth, shocked at her own stupidity. The others were staring at her and Gandalf, Gimli setting aside his anger to join the others in their confusion. The only one who didn't look bewildered was Legolas, his look of suspicion and distrust making Hattie retreat further back as it pierced.

"Otherwise what? What do you speak of?" Spoke up Boromir, his expression becoming hard as he too became suspicious of both Hattie and the wizard. Gandalf kept glaring at Hattie, looking absolutely livid. But what did he expect of her? She told him that she would mess things up for them all! This was his fault more than it was hers! If she had any say she wouldn't even be here! They should be running now for the bridge of Khazad-dum and halfway out of this hell hole already!

"Gandalf?" Aragorn called to the wizard apprehensively. The wizard narrowed his eyes at Hattie as if warning her to refrain from speaking for the foreseeable future, before turning towards the others.

"Miss O'Connor, as you know, is a seer. A tactless and unconventional one to be sure, but a seer nonetheless." He started with an exasperated sigh.

"A foul witch more like!" Accused Gimli, finding his anger again, and Boromir seemed to be in agreement. Gandalf placated them both by raising a hand.

"And as a seer, she is burdened with a heavy knowledge of what is to come. I have caught but a glimpse of what she possesses and know now of things that will come to pass that will change the fate of this Fellowship…as well as my own."

At this, Hattie was just as lost as the others by what the wizard meant. She hadn't really shared anything with him. Besides a few vague hints about Lothlorien and Moria, they hadn't talked anything more then-

 _Oh, shit._ Hattie suddenly froze in realization, _My book. Gandalf looked at the Silmarillion! That's how he knew he would face the Balrog! He must have seen more than he told me! He probably even knows how Sauron will be defeated!_

Whether this was a comfort or not, Hattie couldn't tell. It was all very confusing. Because Gandalf somehow learned of his death from Hattie's book - even though the Silmarillion had no real mention of it at the end - that meant it was Hattie's own fault for giving Gandalf the idea to have her tag along and guide the Fellowship in his place. And here she was, thinking him all omnipotent and stuff. But none of this really mattered. Not when Gimli and Boromir looked like they both wanted to feed her to a warg while the others just looked so…betrayed. Even Legolas's misgivings had become softened by astonishment.

"What will happen?" Frodo asked, glancing helplessly between Hattie and Gandalf. If anyone had a right to be worried right now, it was him. With a reluctance, the wizard met the wide blue eyes of the hobbit.

"There is a danger that will soon be upon us. A danger that must be faced before we reach Lothlorien." He explained gently. Frodo did not seem at all comforted by this, and neither were the other members of the Fellowship. They looked around them as if they expected to see something sneaking up on them.

"Danger? Gandalf, of what do you speak?" Aragorn asked with an apprehensive frown. But Gandalf disappointed him by shaking his head.

"That is all I am willing to say…for now. I ask that you trust my judgment and I shall enlighten once Moria is far behind us." Turning from the company, Gandalf walked over to Pippin reclaimed his hat and staff. Poor Pippin looked like he did not understand a single thing they were talking about, but he perked up when Gandalf gestured for the Fellowship to follow him.

"Come, we must leave the dismal place."

Hattie wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but her mind was reeling about what was going to happen next. What about the drums? The troll? She supposed in the book things went down differently, but at this moment Hattie couldn't remember what the hell came next. Her mind was still lost in that fog, waiting for some hint of what to do to fix this and get her one step closer to home.

 _Do I…do I need to do something? We can't just skip over the troll bit, or can we? I'm actually okay with that, but–_

"I shall not walk another step the company of a deceiver!" Bellowed Boromir, turning all eyes onto him, "She tricked all of us! She said the mines were the safest route to take! Instead, she willingly leads us to danger!"

"Hey! We took a vote!" Spoke up Merry in Hattie's defense, and for a brief moment, gratitude flooded over Hattie as the other hobbits nodded.

 _Okay, they're definitely getting the remaining chocolate in my pack for that._

"Why such poisonous lies, wretch?" Boromir accused Hattie, making her flinch at the anger in his voice, before gesturing to Frodo, "You put us all in peril here! Fie! The Watcher nearly killed the Ringbearer before we even entered the mines!"

Frodo paled at the memory, but Boromir's hardened expression softened as a realization dawned on him. Then his face twisted into a scowl that sent Hattie's heartbeat into a panic, especially when he started to walk towards her. Hattie racked her brain on how she could calm him down, but he looked beyond reason. If Hattie thought Gimli was angry with her, Boromir was seething with it. Wolf started to growl again, teeth bared, as Boromir came within a few feet of Hattie.

"Unless that is what you wanted. To take the Ring and give it to your dark master! I said it first, I say again, she is a spy for the enemy! We have been taken in by the false council of a witch!"

The others that had been stilled by their confusion or suspicion now were roused to action when Boromir grabbed Hattie's arm. He pulled her closer to him, close enough that she could feel his breath on her face. Hattie immediately tried to push him away, but Wolf then came forward. Teeth snapped themselves at Boromir's leg, narrowly missing when Boromir reacted and stepped away, letting go of Hattie. Losing her balance, Hattie yelped as she smacked herself into the well. She grabbed on to the rim to keep herself from flying back into it, setting her up side by side with the web covered corpse.

"Keep your foul beast at bay!" Boromir bellowed as Wolf continued to advance on him, forcing him away from Hattie. Legolas had now drawn his bow, and to Hattie's horror, he was pointing his arrow at Wolf.

"Enough of this! It is I who accepted Miss O'Connor's knowledge and assistance, and so it is my counsel, not hers, that guided this Fellowship to Moria when all other ways were closed." Gandalf said sternly, interjecting himself between the lot of them. This was going too far now. Now everyone was watching Boromir and Wolf, ready for one to attack the other.

"Then you a deceiver as well!" Boromir snarled at the wizard, reaching for his sword, anger taking hold of all sense and reason. Hattie wondered if it was the Ring that had him so riled…or was it that he never really trusted or liked her in the first place?

" _Tiria naa lam!_ " (Watch your tongue!) Legolas warned as he then directed his arrow towards the Prince Steward. Boromir turned to Aragorn, his voice full of blame.

"We should have taken the Gap of Rohan!"

"It was agreed by all in the Company to take the path into Moria!" Aragorn countered as he lifted his hands out in placation towards Boromir and Legolas in an effort to keep one or both from acting. The tension in the air spoke of an inevitable fight. This was going to get bloody and quick, especially when Gimli decided to join Aragorn's side. But the Fellowship couldn't fight each other! Hattie felt suddenly dizzy as her chest started to hurt so bad she could barely breathe. Something needed to be done before Boromir got himself or someone else hurt!

 _Oh, god! What do I do?! What do I do?!_ She panicked, looking everywhere and seeing nothing that offered a solution. When her eyes settled onto Wolf, however, he offered her an answer.

 _'What must be done. What has to be done.'_

Hattie felt like the fog in her mind cleared for a moment, and like that, she knew what she should do. She had to get the story moving forward again, just as it should have if she hadn't messed everything up. The answer beside her, she nodded at Wolf before turning to face the well.

"My father was right, Gandalf is nothing but a Stormcrow who brings a wake of–!"

And then Hattie did something incredibly stupid while everyone was too busy arguing to notice.

She pushed the corpse. Hard.

It tittered for a moment and then started to fall back. Hattie panicked for a second when she saw the chain was twisted around her feet, and she untangled herself quickly. Falling forward when her balance was lost, she watched as the corpse crashed against the sides, dragging down the chain and bucket with it, the noise cascading louder and louder. That could have been her.

 _Wow, that was close._

Hattie turned and was not surprised to see all eyes on her. As the rattling of armor and the bucket continued into an echo, everyone flinched at each and every sound. When silence finally, finally came, everyone continued to stare at Hattie.

"…uh…oops?" She shrugged and attempted to smile. Looking down at Wolf she saw his ears flatten.

 _'That…was not what I meant.'_

Everyone listened, on edge, for any following sound. Eyes traced over the shadows, waiting for them to move. When nothing did, Boromir and Aragorn both let out a relieved sigh, and the others relaxed. Gandalf was not one of them though.

"Oaf of an O'Connor! If I had known you would have been this much trouble, I would have thrown you back in the river Legolas found you in!" He fumed, and Hattie withered at his tone.

But her haphazard plan worked, as the tension between everyone before had lessened. Legolas even lowered his bow, and though Boromir still looked pissed at her, he was far calmer then he had been a minute ago. It looked like to Hattie everyone believed her being an 'oaf' was an accident though. When the wizard started to storm off towards the door, a few of the others turned and looked ready to follow. No doubt they thought it better to save their objections and suspicions until they were safely outside. But Hattie stayed where she was. She knew what she had done and she wasn't going to regret putting the story back on track.

That didn't mean she welcomed what came next though.

 _Doom._

Everyone froze. Turning back, they looked passed Hattie and towards the well. A rolling beat seemed to come from the depths far below, trembling the stones at their feet.

 _Doom. Doom._

"Oh, god." Hattie murmured, distancing herself from the well to grab her staff. Fear and apprehension paled several faces beside her own as an unholy screeching could be heard following the beat.

 _Doom. Doom. Doom. Doom. Doom. Doom._

"Frodo!" Cried Sam, looking to his friend's side. Glancing down, Frodo understood the alarm, and drawing Sting showed the blue hue of warning.

"Orcs!" Cried Legolas. Boromir, glancing at the door behind him, ran towards it. He barely managed to get his head out before an arrow hissed past him, barely missing his face as it embedded itself into the wood of the door.

"Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" Aragorn shouted at the hobbits as he dropped his torch and ran to Boromir's side. Gandalf grabbed Hattie then and shoved her into a group with Pippin, Merry, Frodo, and Sam. He herded them all back towards the well, his arms wide as if to shield them. As Boromir and Aragorn worked to shut the doors, a loud bellow was heard outside.

"They have a cave troll." Boromir groaned exasperatedly.

All of the strain between the Fellowship before was now forgotten as Legolas began to toss rusted axes and spears towards Boromir and Aragorn for them to use to blockade the door. They worked quickly, moving with such urgency while Hattie and the hobbits could do nothing but watch and fidget. None of them moved until Gandalf suddenly threw aside his hat, and with a cry, drew his sword. The hobbits followed suit with their daggers just as there was a sudden pounding against the door.

"Wolf!" Hattie cried at her dog, needing him near. He had stationed himself by Gandalf, but hearing the panic in her voice, shifted himself between the hobbits to be right beside her.

"Stay beside me! P-please!" She begged him as her heart started to drum in her ears. _This was it,_ she thought, _oh god, please, let this be over with quickly!_

 _'Do not panic! Keep behind me at all times and never allow them to corner you!'_ Wolf's voice cried in her head. Hattie nodded, but her faith in Wolf couldn't help but falter as the wood of the door began to crack with the force of the many orcs on the other side. They were screeching and howling, and Hattie knew that if she lived through this, she would have nightmares of this moment for weeks.

"Argh! Let them come!" Growled Gimli as he leaped on top of Balin's tomb, brandishing his axe, "There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"

Aragorn and Legolas, having retreated from the door, aimed their bows at the door. As it shook and splintered, weapons began to break their way through. Legolas fired first, aiming for a small crack and rewarded with the pained squeal of an orc. Aragorn fired as well, hitting his mark, and then…the door broke down.

 _Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_ Hattie's thoughts screamed as she laid eyes on orcs for the first time. She had seen them in the movies, imagined them in the books. They were ugly things and that was no mistake. But like the wargs, it was another thing to see them in real life, charging towards the Fellowship, towards her, with their misshapen faces, their glowing eyes, their crooked and rotting teeth, and their horrible, _horrible_ shrieks.

The orcs flooded in, and Legolas and Aragorn took down only a few more with arrows before the enemy came too close. Aragorn grabbed for his sword then, and he and Boromir met the first wave of them. Legolas retreated but a step or two, continuing to fire with deadly accuracy. From his perch, Gimli bellowed out before he cleaved an orc that got too close to Balin's tomb. Gandalf cried as well and marched forward. The hobbits followed suit, all of the Fellowship shouting their war cries above the clamor of armor and hewn flesh.

And Hattie…Hattie just stood there. Like a dumbass. It was because of her this was happening, and yet she did not have the courage or notion to move now. She watched as Pippin stabbed an orc in the stomach, as Legolas fired arrow after arrow, as Aragorn severed a head from a body…and she started to shake.

 _I…I just wanted to go home…_

The sudden desire to close her eyes and wish it all away took hold of her. But there was no time, as two orcs made it past Merry…and came charging towards her.

Hattie's only instinct was to start backing away, slamming herself once more into the side of the well. The orcs snarled and smiled at her, coming so close she could see the rotting flesh between their teeth before Wolf lunged at one. The orc barely had time to screech before Wolf sunk his teeth into the thing's neck, blood gargling the sound. The other orc turned to raise its serrated sword at the dog, but Wolf retreated too quickly.

 _'Fight or die, Hattie! I can't take them all!'_ Wolf screamed at her in her mind as he lunged again, this time grasping the orc's arm and forcing it to drop its weapon. Hattie didn't have time to think before she found herself suddenly charging forward, adrenaline finally taking hold.

"AAGH!" She shouted and raised her staff, aiming it at the orc's head.

 _THWACK!_

To her utter shock and surprise, the orc spun away, its head twisted at an odd angle, before flopping to the ground…dead.

Hattie stood there, dumbstruck.

 _Uh…whoa…_

There was no time to let her first kill sink in before a growl, loud and accompanied by the clatter of chain-links, could be heard just outside the door.

 _Oh, great. The troll's here._ Hattie groaned inwardly.

With a heavy club, the troll smashed open the door wide enough for it to enter, collared and led by two orcs holding onto a chain about its neck. It looked bigger than the one Hattie had seen in the forest. Entering, it announced its presence with a roar, to which Legolas greeted with an arrow. It struck the troll in the skin above its heart, but the creature barely flinched before charging forward.

Sam was the first thing in its way, but Hattie didn't have time to see what happened next as an orc came for her and Wolf again. It was larger than the two others before but moved much faster.

In almost perfect synchronization, Hattie and Wolf attacked. As Wolf cruel grasped the orc's weapon hand, lowing the axe it held, while Hattie again aimed for the head. This orc was tougher than the others though, as Hattie had to practically bash its forehead in before it finally slumped to the floor. Hattie's arms were suddenly so heavy, and sweat dripped off of the tip of her nose. Or tears, she wasn't really sure.

 _Fuck this! Fuck all of this! I'm never going to read anything by Tolkien ever again!_

She heard Aragorn and Boromir cry out, and looking towards them watched as they killed the two orcs holding the chain of the troll. Taking a hold of it, the two men pulled with all their might, saving poor Sam from being crushed under its foot. This caused the troll to turn on the two of them, swinging its club at their heads.

Aragorn let go of the chain to duck and escape its reach. Boromir was not so lucky, as the chain had become twisted around his arm. Without time to react, the troll grabbed the chain and flung the Prince-Steward across the room. He crashed against the wall, rolling down until he landed not far from where Hattie stood.

Dazed, Boromir tried to stand, but there was an orc in front of him before he could recover his weapon or senses. Hattie, acting on an instinct she did not even know she possessed, charged forward. She really had no idea what she had in mind, but her action proved unnecessary when a sword was flung and sunk itself into the chest of the orc before it had time to strike. Both Hattie and Boromir looked to see Aragorn nod at the latter.

"Here!" Hattie yelled, seeing Boromir's sword and shoving it into his hands as he finally stood. She had no time to see the expression that crossed his face before the two of them were surrounded by orcs.

There were four of them, forcing Hattie and Boromir back to back. Boromir killed one before the other orcs even had time to move in. Hattie could only defend herself though, as she raised her staff with both hands to block a sword that was aimed at her head. The metal chipped her staff, and she shrieked, knowing it wouldn't hold. Wolf leaped onto her attacker's back in an instant, biting down on the orc's shoulder. The orc screeched, dropping its sword to try and throw the dog off itself, allowing Hattie to shove at the creature until it fell back. Wolf finished it then, ripping the orc's jaw clean off, before moving on to the next.

Hattie knew her staff would not hold for long at this rate, and wondered if she should grab one of the weapons now scattered the ground alongside so many bodies. She had no time to act, as the troll then smashed Balin's tomb, sending chunks of the tomb and Gimli flying. The dwarf landed alright, but Hattie was cut off from Boromir as she moved to avoid being crushed by a mass of marble. The troll was now after Gimli, smashing orcs that got in its way, only to stagger back when Legolas lodged two arrows into its shoulder.

This seemed to have annoyed the troll rather than hurt it, as the creature then picked up the heavy chain and begun to swing it like a deadly lasso. Hattie missed what happened next as Gandalf suddenly crashed against her in an effort to avoid an orc blade, but the next thing she knew Legolas had tricked the troll into tangling the chain against a pillar, allowing him to run across it and onto its shoulders. Perched there, Legolas aimed an arrow at the back of the troll's skull, only to have it shatter at point blank range. The troll was _really_ annoyed now and tried to throw off the elf.

Legolas, however, jumped off of the troll and landed directly beside Hattie.

 _"Rhaich!"_ (Curses!) She heard him swear as she smacked away an orc.

"Its skull is too thick! Stop screwing around and shoot it in the mouth already!" She shouted at him as Wolf finished off the orc for her. Legolas turned and looked down at her like she was crazy, but then glancing towards the troll, and then back at her, he alighted on her point. With a nod, he seemed ready to act on her advice, when several orcs came forward towards them. Legolas rushed to meet them while Hattie retreated closer to Gandalf, staff ready.

"It appears while you ignored my lessons, the Prince-Steward's managed to make it through your thick head!" The wizard shouted, causing Hattie to chuckle despite herself.

"Yeah, well – Eep!" She squeaked as an orc swung a club at her. She barely had time to move, and the weapon clipped against her right shoulder as she ducked. She was sent spiraling to the ground, arm completely numb.

 _Ah…yeah…that's gonna be a little sore._

Worse, she had landed on her staff, the weight of her body snapping it at the weak point the orc early had made. She expected to feel the spikes of the club come down on her any second now, and wondered if it was even worth turning over to see her death coming before it happened. Thankfully, Wolf came yet again to her rescue, crashing into the orc and pinning it down beside Hattie. Rolling over, Hattie watched as the orc struggled with her dog, dropping its club in favor of grabbing a dagger at its belt.

"Wolf!" Hattie cried, grabbing a stone beside her before hurrying to crawl over and hit the orc. But she didn't move fast enough, and before she jammed the stone into the orc's black eyes, feeling them squish beneath her fingers, it had sunk its dagger into Wolf's side. A strange gasp escaped from her dog, but he did not relent his attack until the orc's throat was bitten through.

"Wolf?!" Hattie moved closer, kneeling beside Wolf. Before she could do anything, Wolf moved off of the orc and charged on towards the next.

 _'It is nothing! Fight!'_

But Hattie could only watch as Wolf ran to Gandalf's side, aiding him to prevent any of those orcs from getting any closer to her. There were so few left that in less than a minute the remaining were finished off, and Gandalf with Gimli rushed towards the troll. It barely registered to Hattie that Pippin and Merry both were riding on the troll's shoulders, stabbing at it furiously in vengeance for what it had done to Frodo. All she could see was the red slowly seeping from Wolf's side as her dog faltered back towards her, guarding her as the others fought.

When Pippin stabbed the troll deeply in the shoulder, it reared its head back in pain, allowing Legolas the perfect angle. Taking Hattie's advice, he shot into its wide mouth, sinking his arrow into the brain of the foul creature. The troll went still then, its jaw drooping open in surprise. A tired moan came from it as it reached up for the arrow in its mouth in a weak effort to pry it out, but the troll's eyes glazed over, and it fell. Pippin was thrown forward then, landing with a yelp next to Hattie.

Everyone was panting, sweaty, and covered with dirt and blood. Hattie was no different. But as the others gathered themselves to run to Frodo's side – who for all they knew had been killed by the troll stabbing him with a spear – Hattie had other priorities as she finally forced herself to move.

"Wolf! Get over here, _now!_ " She hissed as she threw off her packs. Her dog padded over, almost guiltily, as Hattie dove into her bag, looking for her first aid kit. He was panting heavily, his tongue lolled to one side of his bloodied jaw.

 _'I will be well.'_

She ignored him as she found her kit and practically ripped it open. Seeing a gauze pad, she tried to open its packaging, but her hands were shaking too much.

"Stupid thing! Fuck it!" Hattie swore as she then took the package between her teeth and tore it open. Crawling closer to Wolf, she reached to place the gauze over the wound…only to freeze. There was so much blood coming from it. Too much. Wolf's entire body was trembling, and in horror Hattie watched him lay down in front of her, too exhausted to stand anymore.

 _'It is alright. Everything will be alright.'_ The voice in her head said tiredly.

And just like that, hot tears stung Hattie's eyes.

"No, it's not, you stupid dog. Don't lie to me."

They both knew the wound was too deep. If there was time, maybe, _maybe_ Hattie could patch him up enough, but even then, he wouldn't really be able to move and needed a vet. Besides, there was no time. Hattie shook her head though, and pressed the pad of gauze to Wolf's side. The dog whined in pain, and shaking Hattie stroked his head. This was her fault. This was _all_ her fault. She just wanted to go home…but what was home without her best friend?

 _No…no! I'm going to get him out of here! I won't leave him behind! I'd never leave Wolf behind!_

 _'That…I'm afraid…is what got us in this mess in the first place…I'm sorry…'_ Wolf's voice whispered, his lips curling into a canine smile, _'I've been trying to make it up to you…'_

"What?" Hattie muttered, shaking her head, "What the hell are you talking about?"

A shrill cry broke over the Fellowship and Hattie then, and turning towards the broken-down doors shadows of more orcs could be seen approaching.

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dum!" Gandalf ordered. By now, Frodo's miraculous survival had occurred, and the others quickly moved to flee. Hattie refused to acknowledge that they were out of time. She picked up her first aid kit, digging through to try and find a needle to sew up the wound.

"Miss O'Connor, you must stand!" Aragorn told her as he rushed over. Hattie shook her head, continuing her search.

"Just wait! Wolf's hurt! I need to help him!" She told him, her voice breaking. Glancing to Wolf, Aragorn knelt down. Lifting the red soaked gauze, he caught sight of the dog's wound, and shook his head.

"No time!" He told her as he grabbed Hattie's shoulder and tried to force her to stand. She shook him off, dropping her first aid kit as she became blinded by tears.

"No! I'm not leaving without Wolf!"

"Aragorn, take her!" Shouted Gandalf as he and the others gathered at the only escape route, opposite the door. With a stern nod, Aragorn slung the straps of Hattie's bags back over her shoulders, and then without giving her time to resist, picked her up.

"Damn it! No! Let me go, you bastard!" She fought as he shoved her towards the others. Hattie struggled against Aragorn's grip, but he would not relent. Wolf, on shaking legs, slowly stood and watched her.

 _'Go! I shall find another way!'_

Aragorn had her over by the others now, and before Hattie could put up another struggle, the Fellowship began to run. His hand grasping hers painfully, Aragorn dragged Hattie away. Shot forward, Hattie barely had time to turn back and see the shadows of the approaching orcs overtake Wolf, and then, nothing.

Aragorn kept pace with the others despite his heavy and obstinate burden. The Fellowship followed Gandalf as he ran the path the beam of light that had alighted Balin's tomb. Orcs poured out from every direction. Behind, left, right, even from above as they climbed down the many pillars of the hall like spiders. They were quickly closing in behind, and worse, in front. Suddenly the Fellowship was herded into a tight circle, orcs surrounding them on all sides. Gandalf's staff made the hollow eyes of the orcs glow an eerie yellow, their pupils narrowing into slits. The orcs were leering, delighting in the fear that took hold of the men before them.

Hattie looked at the creatures around her numbly, barely registering when Legolas pushed her behind him before drawing his bow. The orcs came closer and closer, forcing the Fellowship more tightly together that Hattie ended up squished between Legolas and Gimli. Hattie's eyes met an orc's, and the thing snarled at her wickedly.

 _Stupid…why are you so stupid?_

Death seemed but a second away, and Hattie did not really find it unwelcomed, when a stillness came over the orcs. And then a snarl.

Suddenly, the orcs were chittering amongst themselves, a sort of panic in their voices as a hall not far from them all started to glow red. A thunderous rumble came from the same direction, and the orcs then hissed in fright. Leaping and crawling, they began to flee back up the pillars as quickly as they could, leaving the Fellowship behind.

Gimli laughed, thinking this some kind of miraculous victory, but Hattie watched as Gandalf looked towards the fiery light as yet another snarl broke over them. Hattie could feel it reverberating in her chest, making her feel like her rib cage was going to break. In front of her, Legolas turned as well, sensing the new danger. He aimed his bow, but there was nothing to see. Not yet. And then, for the first time Hattie could ever recall, a look of fear came over the elf, and he lowered his bow.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir whispered to Gandalf as they all turned towards the red glow.

The wizard did not answer or acknowledge that he even heard him. He merely closed his eyes, retreating to some place in his mind as if asking for strength. The rumble was heard again, and the fiery light grew towards them, as did a sudden wave of heat. Gandalf looked up then with a weary determination.

"A Balrog." He said at last, "A demon of the ancient world."

The others looked fearful to hear such a thing, but Hattie swore she saw Legolas tremble. It wasn't like him to ever be so afraid, was it? Hattie herself oddly was not, still reeling from all that was happening. The decision to be afraid was made for her though as a wave of…something overcame Hattie as the light of the demon came closer. Was it the heat? It made her feel sick, and a seeping paralyzation came over her limbs, numbing her further. It felt like when the Ring had made her black out. Was this black magic then?

 _Ugh…this really bites…_

Her balance tittering as she felt like she was going to pass out, Hattie leaned forward, resting her head against Legolas's back for stability. She felt the elf flinch at the unexpected touch, but Hattie could only think about how soft his hair was as it brushed against her face.

"This foe is beyond any of you." Announced Gandalf before turning the opposite direction of the light, "Run!"

Hattie barely had time to hear the command before someone grabbed her hand again and rushed her along. She allowed herself to be dragged willingly, and eventually found the resolve to run herself when she could feel the heat of the Balrog lick across her back. The Fellowship, plus Hattie, reached the end of the hall to find a small doorway with stairs leading down. Standing before it, Gandalf and Aragorn ushered the others through. Boromir went first before skidding to a halt when the stairs suddenly turned, leaving him facing a sharp drop.

Rushing to him, Legolas pulled him back in time to save him, throwing the both of them off balance until they both fell back. The others piled up behind them, uncertain of where to go. The cavern before them was large, lined with what looked like lava at the very bottom of a long drop.

 _Ah, of course,_ Hattie groaned to herself.

The company only had a moment however before Gandalf barreled past them all and down where the stairs turned, leading them on. Following the twists and turns, each moved as fast as they could. Hattie was extra grateful she made certain to double knot her laces before this. Especially since she knew what would happen next. Like she expected, they came to a gap in the stairs, probably due to erosion. The others stopped, hesitating, but Legolas jumped and landed safely on the other side.

A smash of the foundations and wall behind them alerted the Fellowship that they didn't have much time before the Balrog broke through. Hattie, knowing that she shouldn't hesitate, surprised the others by taking the leap herself. It surprised her to, as she hadn't really thought about what she was doing until she was midway in the air. But Legolas reached out towards her, helping her stick the landing before he reached out towards Gandalf.

 _"Mithrandir!"_

Gandalf leapt himself then, and not a moment too soon as an arrow then hit where he stood just a moment ago. More followed, and Merry yelped as one nearly cost him a toe. Hattie got behind the elf as he drew his bow and aiming at the far ledge across from them, returned fire. An orc squeaked as an arrow lodged itself in its head before it tumbled down into the fire waiting below.

"Merry! Pippin!" Boromir shouted as he took hold of the two hobbits, and with a roar, he leaped to the other side with them in his arms. A second after the stairs beneath him crumbled, and a section fell away. Legolas continued to return fire, orcs dropping like flies, while Aragorn tossed Sam over. Boromir caught the hobbit, and turned as Aragorn next went to grab Gimli.

"Nobody tosses a dwarf!" He protested, and with a yell jumped. Hattie felt her stomach drop when the dwarf barely made it, but tittered on the edge. As he began to fall back, Legolas caught the dwarf's distress out of the corner of his eye, and grabbed what he could.

"Not the beard!" Gimli shouted in pain. When Legolas had him safely in his arms, another section of the stairs fell, forcing Frodo and Aragorn who remained on the other side scrambling back. It was far too much for anyone to jump, but when the Balrog smashed more of the wall in its attempt to break through, the stairs behind them fell as well. The section Frodo and Aragorn were stranded on began to rock back and forth, and the Ranger held onto the hobbit.

"Lean forward!" He shouted, and at the last moment, the two jumped. Legolas caught Aragorn, and Hattie was shocked when the hobbit came flying at her.

"Oof! Why are you so heavy?!" The pair of them fell back, Frodo clinging to Hattie for dear life. Boromir came over to them, and forced the two up just as the others began to run. Following the stairs, they came to a corridor, Gandalf directing them as it turned.

"Over the bridge! Fly!" He shouted, lagging behind as a wall of fire erupted behind him. The others stopped, turning back to see a great black form of shadow leap through the flames. The Balrog's eyes were of white fire, and its great black horns curled around its bull-like head. The sickness in Hattie turned to a spreading pain as the Balrog then stood before them, like her stomach was being pricked with needles. It burned Hattie to even look at it, and when the Balrog roared at them it felt like her eardrums would break. The Balrog came towards them then, reminding everyone that they should be running as its cloven hooves broke the stone beneath with every step.

The bridge was soon before them, and Aragorn was the first to cross it, followed by Boromir and Frodo. Hattie was right behind them, but seeing how narrow the bridge really was, every instinct in her screamed to stop.

"Shit!" She froze, looking down. A black gaping hole loomed below, and Hattie wasn't sure she'd face even cross the bridge if it had railings.

"Miss Hattie, go!" Shouted Merry as he, Pippin, and Sam edged around her.

"No! Whoever designed this was a sadist!" Hattie protested. Besides, Wolf said he would find another way. He had to be right behind them, and if so, she needed to wait. Crossing this bridge meant she had given up on him. The bridge would break soon and that would leave Wolf trapped here, forever. But he would be here. He promised he'd stay by her side. He promised!

When Gimli and Legolas passed by her, she knew time was short. Glancing back, she could see the smoke and fire that was the Balrog, but before she could decide move or not, Gandalf pushed her forward. Shoving her before him, he forced her to cross the bridge at a neck-break pace.

"No! I…I can't!" Hattie shook her head, and attempted to resist him. Gandalf shoved her before him then, and Hattie yelped as she was suddenly propelled into Legolas's arms. Clinging to the elf, she looked back at the wizard, the Balrog looming closer behind him.

"Guide them well, Miss O'Connor!" He shouted, his blue eyes softening at his entreaty. The look pierced through Hattie, but she shook her head.

"Stop it! Stop it! You know I can't!"

These were her last words to the wizard as he then nodded at Legolas, and the elf then dragged her to the other side. Hattie was then passed over towards Gimli and the hobbits, who were already climbing a set of stairs. Hattie turned and watched though as Gandalf faced the Balrog, the creature hesitating at the start of the narrow bridge.

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf shouted up at the foul thing.

"Gandalf!" Frodo cried when he saw that the wizard was behind. The Balrog unfurled its wings, sending black smoke towards Gandalf before its whole body caught flame as it drew itself up to its full height.

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor." Gandalf spoke, but whether to himself or to the Balrog in warning, who could tell? He raised his staff, pointing it at the Balrog, and it and his sword started glow with a white light as the Balrog made his own blade appear from the smoke.

"The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udûn!"

The Balrog struck! Hattie watched, awestruck, as its sword broke upon Gandalf's in a shower of flame and sparks, the wizard protected from them by the soft glow. The Balrog roared at the wizard, but Gandalf looked far from impressed.

"Go back to the shadow." He said through clenched teeth. The Balrog stepped onto the bridge then, and it crumbled a little beneath its weight. The Balrog summoned another weapon, a whip, and cracked it in the space between him and the wizard threateningly.

"YOU…SHALL NOT…PASS!" Gandalf roared with the might of ages. He then brought his staff down upon the stone bridge beneath him and a white light blinded every eye. The Balrog leaned away for a moment, flaring its nostrils as he and the wizard meet eyes, but then roared and stepped forward onto the bridge, whip raised. But in that same moment, the bridge fell apart, right beneath it. The demon plunged backward into the chasm.

Gandalf, exhausted, turned to face the others just as the whip snapped out and caught his foot. Dropping his sword and staff, Gandalf fell, and clung to the broken edge of the bridge. Frodo immediately shoved his way past Hattie and the others, only to have Boromir hold him back.

"No! No!"

"Gandalf!" Frodo shouted as the wizard stopped his struggles and met the hobbit's eyes in resignation. Hattie closed her eyes, not wanting to see what came next.

"Fly, you fools!"

Gandalf let go…and disappeared down into the black.

"No!" Frodo cried miserably. Boromir picked him up, kicking and screaming, away and to the others.

"Aragorn!" Called out Boromir. The Ranger, staring in shock at the last place Gandalf was, went into action and followed up the rest of the stairs as arrows flew after him.

They all ran, turning this way and that out of the mountain, exhausted, fearful, confused. Hattie wasn't sure how long they ran, but then she was suddenly blinded by the light of day as they broke through a set of gates. Tears welled up on her eyes, and she let them fall. She only wanted to go home. She never wanted to go through such a hell, and for what? Gandalf was gone, the only one who knew of her circumstances and for better or worse tried to guide and comfort her. Wolf was gone, the only one who loved Hattie and was her friend and protector.

She was completely, utterly, alone.

The Fellowship rushed out of an archway and onto the rocky plain that lay outside the mountain. The fresh air stung Hattie's lungs, and with it, she suddenly found the breath to sob.

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Well...uh...what did you guys think? Haha...ha...yeah. So, that happened. Anyway, Hattie has a tough time dealing with the loss of Wolf and Gandalf as she and the Fellowship flee the orcs of Moria. Once safely in the woods and on their way to Lothlorien, the Fellowship has to deal with their losses and mistrust of the 'witch'.

P.S.

Sorry for the emotional roller coaster. Don't hate me. I'm a drama queen.


	12. Sticks and Stones Hurt a Hella Lot

**Chapter 12; Sticks and Stones Hurt a Hella Lot:**

Alright, the Fellowship is on its way to Lothlorien! Okay, so, I'm combining a lot from both the extended movie and the book, which is why things will be a jumble of a mess for you all, but I just had to in order to get some of the more iconic moments from both. That said, this chapter is shorter because there's a lot of talking and drama, but I hope you all enjoy and know that your comments/favs/follows make me feel warm and fuzzy!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

The Fellowship made it little more than a hundred feet from the gates of Moria before they found themselves unable to take another step. The mountainside they stood upon was a patchwork of rocky terrain and sparse grass, opening before them the Misty Mountains and some kind of lake or swamp in the distance. This and the bright blue sky that made her eyes hurt with the light of day was all Hattie noticed before she collapsed to the ground.

Hattie fell beside Merry and Pippin, the two holding onto each other, their faces twisted with grief as each sobbed uncontrollably. Not far from them, Boromir was holding back Gimli who was shouting and protesting, wanting to go back for the wizard. But there was nothing to go back to. Gandalf was dead. This was not what numbed Hattie though. She was prepared for Gandalf to leave, even though he was one of her few allies in this whole mess. No, what made her rack and sob and fist her hands into her hair was the loss of something far dearer.

 _Wolf…oh, god, Wolf. I'm so sorry…I'm so stupid!_

These, and a string of other, more incoherent thoughts, were all that went through Hattie's mind. She had no control over her body, which stood up for a moment, paced, wiped her tears, and then sat back down when her sobs kept her from taking in air. She looked around, helpless, and when she attempted to stand again, Hattie found herself too sick to. Bending over she heaved, but having eaten very little in the past twenty-four hours, nothing came up.

 _Wolf! Talk to me! Come on, you promised you'd be with me!_ Hattie called out in her mind, but there was no answer. Perhaps he couldn't hear her? He was just too far away. With the bridge broken, her dog would have to find another way out. Maybe if she called to him? No, her voice was all but taken as her sobs made her throat raw.

 _The whistle!_

Hattie threw off her bags. She had forgotten which one she had placed the dog whistle in since she had to put it away because of Legolas's sensitive ears. She didn't care if she hurt him now though. If Wolf could hear it, then maybe he could find a way out. Scrambling, Hattie threw her things about, noticing her first aid kit was missing, as she dug for the whistle.

 _Fuck, fuck! Where is it?!_ She started to panic, breath coming shorter and shorter until she was gasping.

Aragorn, not far from where Sam sat miserably with his head in his hands, looked over the Fellowship. He was cleaning his sword, his expression grim.

"Legolas! Get them up!" He called. Legolas, strangely enough, didn't seem to hear him. The reaction of the others and the events that had passed seemed to him like an anomaly, something that shouldn't have occurred but did, leaving him confused. Soon enough though he slowly moved towards Merry and Pippin.

"Give them a moment! For pity's sake!" Boromir shouted, distraught. Aragorn turned his grim expression towards the Prince-Steward.

"By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlorien." He returned, and then sighed and more gently said, "Come. Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up!"

Aragorn went towards Sam as Legolas finally coaxed Pippin and Merry up. The elf came towards Hattie then, but she had only just found what she was looking for.

"Wait! Please, wait!" She begged when he knelt down to her. Legolas watched, curiously, as she tried to find the breath to blow the whistle, but couldn't even put her lips on the mouthpiece before choking on another sob.

 _Who am I kidding?_ She thought in misery, _Wolf's not coming. Stupid. So fucking stupid._

"They're both dead...aren't they? Gandalf and Wolf." She whispered, more to herself than to the elf still beside her. Hattie looked at the whistle in her hands, and noticing the red on the sleeves of her jacket, she knew it was Wolf's blood. There's no way he could have survived. None. Not with this much blood gone. An emptiness, one she had not felt since waking up alone in this world, opened in her.

Looking up, Hattie caught Legolas's blue eyes with her own watery ones. He looked so…lost. And confused. His brow was furrowed, making him appear troubled for the first time since Hattie had come to know him. Death probably was something he often did not deal with, even as a warrior. In his mind, it was something for the enemy, not for a being like Gandalf, a Maiar. Hattie though, in all her anguish, couldn't help but chuckle when she l noticed a smudge on his forehead, her raw throat making the sound hoarse.

"You have dirt on your face." Hattie chuckled again when the elf furrowed his brows at her, but then felt another dry sob come on, and she was once more back to crying. She didn't put up any resistance when Legolas grabbed her arm and pulled her up, though she winced in pain. Her right arm felt oddly numb and it hurt to move. Did the orc that hit her with the club break it? She would have to wait and deal with it later because she knew that they needed to move. Without thought, she packed up her belongings.

By the time Aragorn had everyone standing and brought back a wandering and distressed Frodo to the group, Hattie had given up on a miracle. Wolf would not be coming. He was dead. She was never going to see him again.

Raising his sword high, Aragorn addressed the mountain behind them.

"Farewell, Gandalf!" He spoke, "What hope have we without you?"

Looking back at the confused, tired, and mournful faces of the Company, Aragorn sighed again.

"We must do without hope. At least we may yet be avenged. Let us gird ourselves and weep no more! Come! We have a long road, and much to do."

They ran. Besides Aragorn and Legolas, no one seemed to have a clear mind of where they were going. The rest were still a complete mess, but some were recovering faster than others. Before long Boromir and Gimli seemed more themselves if their expressions slightly grimmer. This was merely Hattie's opinion, however, as any time she caught their eye, they scowled at her. She was surprised that they hadn't requested to cut her head off, but she supposed the orcs were a bigger threat to them then she was. For now.

The Fellowship – plus Hattie – followed the road down from the Gates of Moria. It was rough and old, some parts completely covered with heather and fallen stones. It took them three, maybe four, hours to navigate it before they came to a mound of fir-trees sighing in the wind that blew around them. Not far from it was the marsh Hattie spotted before and on the roadside near to it a broken column of stone. It seemed carved into the shape of a dwarf with a long, braided beard that trailed to his feet. At the sight of it, Gimli gasped.

"Oh! That is Durin's Stone!" He looked to Aragorn entreatingly, "I cannot pass without turning aside for a moment to look at the wonder of the dale!"

Taking in the weary faces, Aragorn surprised the Fellowship by nodding.

"Be swift!" He warned, looking back towards the Gates. "The Sun sinks early. The Orcs will not, maybe, come out till after dusk, but we must be far away before nightfall."

Gimli nodded, and by himself rushed off to the stone. The others stayed where they were, some going over to the trees to sit under them. Hattie just slumped to the ground, gasping. While running she did not have the energy to cry, but even after she caught her breath, she found her eyes were too dry to. That was something she supposed, but the gnawing, emptiness in her chest was not any less. She kept expecting to see Wolf. Her world had been so full of him for as long as she could remember, or what part she could at least, that even in the brief moments she was able to push the thought of him aside, something still felt off. She didn't know what to call this feeling, but Hattie supposed she had no choice but to get used to it.

"I am sorry, Frodo,"' Spoke Aragorn, breaking the silence. He went over towards where the hobbits had gathered, full of concern as he knelt beside them. "So much has happened this day, that I have forgotten that you were hurt; Sam and Miss O'Connor too. You should have spoken. We have done nothing to ease you, as we ought."

The Ring Bearer only nodded in response, too withdrawn and exhausted to answer any further.

"Boromir, fetch some water," Aragorn ordered, and Boromir looked up. His eyes narrowed as if he wished to say something, but then shaking his head he went off towards the marshy area. Aragorn meanwhile started his tending with Sam. The poor hobbit had suffered a cut that Hattie had not even noticed till now. Aragorn's face was grave for a long moment.

"Luck is with you, Sam!" He smiled tiredly. "Many have received worse than this in payment for the slaying of their first orc. The cut is not poisoned, and it should heal well when I have tended it."

He opened his pouch and drew out some withered leaves.

"These are the leaves of athelas that I gathered near Weathertop. Some know it as Kingsfoil. Crush one in the water, and wash the wound clean, and I will bind it." He instructed before moving on to the next hobbit, "Frodo...how do you fare?"

Frodo only had a dark and blackened brush on his right side where the troll had attempted to skewer him. Again, Aragorn and those that remained admired the shirt of mithril and marveled at its ability. Frodo got the same prescription as Sam, however, which would have to wait until Boromir returned with water. In the meanwhile, Aragorn made his way over to Hattie.

"And you, Miss O'Connor?" He addressed her softly, which she appreciated even though she could tell he was wary of her like the others. Still, Hattie didn't feel like meeting his eye, and so simply pointed to her right arm. He seemed to already know what was the matter as he knelt behind her.

"I can't move my arm. An orc hit my shoulder with a club. Hard."

Hattie hissed as Aragorn's hands came to the aching shoulder. He felt and prodded before grunting when he discovered what the exact nature of the problem was.

"Your shoulder has been dislocated. I must align it." He told her in warning as he got his hands in position. Hattie knew she didn't have any choice but to let him do what was necessary.

 _How many times will this keep on happening? Broken nose, gashed forehead, dislocated shoulder…I'm going to look so pretty after all this,_ Hattie thought with a bitter laugh.

"Get it over with." She nodded before gritting her teeth in preparation. She tried to find something to look at while she waited for Aragorn to count down from three. Legolas was the first thing that caught her eye, and she stared at him while he cleaned his knives of the orc blood that had dried on them. His eyes flickered to meet hers, but Hattie had no time to read them before Aragorn moved and there was a strange 'pop' as her joint slide back into place.

"Aah!"

Aragorn waited until she moved her arm experimentally, stiff and sore, but pain-free.

"Anything else?"

Hattie shook her head tiredly, not wanting to talk anymore. Without another word, Aragorn left her.

By now, Boromir had returned with the water. The two wounded hobbits quickly washed their wounds with a cloth and the kingsfoil which let off a strange fragrance. When this was finished, Gimli had returned. He did not answer the questions the hobbits asked him of where he had been, but his look was grave. It was then Aragorn decreed it was time to leave the little hollow of trees, as already the sun was starting to sink and shadows were growing. Leading the Fellowship, Aragorn kept onto the road as it led closer to the marsh, Mirrormere. Or at least that's what Hattie guessed it was, but she dared not ask given how everybody was not really her friend right now. The hobbits, their distress lessening with the hours, now were looking at Hattie as some of the others were. Doubtful, confused, though thankfully not hateful. Hattie guessed it might not be too long before they did though.

 _And who could blame them? I'm just glad no one has started to chant 'burn the witch!' yet._

This wouldn't last, and Hattie knew it. The Fellowship had questions, and it would be in her best interest to come up with some answers. Her goal now was as clear as it had been before she entered Moria; get home. That Wolf would not be coming with her would be a fact she would slowly have to accept, but for now, she had bigger problems than her grief. If anything, Hattie was glad to put it aside while she thought about all she could, or more importantly, _could not_ tell the Fellowship when the time came for her inevitable interrogation.

 **~o0o~**

The Fellowship – plus Hattie – followed the road a few hours more as it turned south and quickly downwards, escaping the mountainside of Caradhras at last. Hattie would be happy if she never saw or climbed another mountain again for the rest of her life. Some way below the road soon came a deep well of water, clear as crystal, from a slow but steady stream that bubbled over a stone lip and ran down a steep rocky channel.

"Here is the spring from which the Silverlode rises," said Gimli. Hattie glanced at it, recognizing the name. It was the river used for trade between dwarves and elves long ago, thus its name. It had an Elvish name too, but she didn't bother trying to remember it.

"Our road leads beside it for many miles. I shall take you by the road that Gandalf chose." Aragorn told the others, and there were no objections. They kept at the road until the stream flowed down into a valley far ahead of them, losing itself in a haze of light.

"What is that?" Pippin stopped to gasp. The others did as well, and even Hattie found herself awestruck by the view. A golden forest stood before them, with silver branches and yellow leaves. Despite being so far away it was almost as if Hattie could see every gold vein in the leaves, shivering and shimmering against the setting sun. It was like staring into a hearth fire; warm and familiar and magical.

"It is the woods of Lothlórien," said Legolas, surprising everyone when he spoke, "the fairest of all the dwellings of my people."

It was breathtaking, and maybe if Hattie was in a better state of mind, she would have recognized it as the marvel it truly was. Even now she felt a slight itch to take out her notebook, but it quickly passed.

"We are still little more than five leagues from the Gates, but we can go no further." Aragorn said to those nearest to him, namely Boromir and Legolas, "We will go forward a short way until the trees are all about us, and then we will turn aside from the path and seek a place to rest in."

Aragorn signaled to move, but Boromir shook his head.

"Is there no other way?"

"What other fairer way would you desire?"

"A plain road, though it led through a hedge of swords," said Boromir, glancing at the forest suspiciously before turning the look towards Hattie, "By strange paths has this Company been led, and so far to evil fortune."

 _Ah, there's the snide accusations I've been waiting for,_ bitterly thought Hattie. She couldn't meet his eye for long, however, not when he continued in a tone full of resentment.

"Against my will, we passed under the shades of Moria, to our loss. And now we must enter the Golden Wood, you say. But of that perilous land, we have heard in Gondor, and it is said that few come out who once go in, and of that few none have escaped unscathed."

"Say not unscathed, but if you say _unchanged_ , then maybe you will speak the truth," said Aragorn, causing Boromir to look back to him in surprise. He remained stubborn though, so Aragorn turned from him. "Believe what you will, there is no other way for us - unless you would go back to Moria."

Boromir stood there for a moment, blocking anyone from following Aragorn. But with the decision seemingly out of his hands, the Prince-Steward sighed and followed.

Night had fallen by the time they had reached the forest. They all were beyond exhausted and hungry. Aragorn set a much crueler pace than Gandalf ever did, but if it meant staying alive, Hattie really could not complain. Still, it became difficult to navigate the woods. The moon was wane and stars were no substitute, as at best only glimpses of the night sky made it through the thick canopy of leaves. The ground was soft, but there was an undergrowth of lichen and ferns that made tripping inevitable for Hattie. Everyone was quiet as they had been for the past few hours, but instead of grief keeping them silent, it was caution. Each expected to hear some orc screech sooner or later.

The wind was picking up from the valley behind them, chilling their backs. The Fellowship – plus Hattie – had only gone little more than a mile into the woods when they came across yet another stream alongside the road. They heard it splashing among the shadows to their right, and soon it cut across the path before them, joining the Silverlode. It swirled in small little pools among the roots of the trees, gentle and smooth like glass. Legolas then walked before the others, stopping at its shallow banks.

"Here is Nimrodel!" He said almost happily, "We sing of it in the North."

Hattie wanted to scream in relief. She knew that name, and it meant they would rest for at least a couple of hours if things went according to the book. They all watched as Legolas knelt down beside the water, his hand feeling the gentle current. His eyes closed in some strange bliss, looking more his stoic self for the first time since leaving Moria.

"It is said that the water is healing to the weary." He shared before stepping into the stream, "Follow me! The water is not deep. On the further bank, we can rest, and the sound of the falling water may bring us sleep and forgetfulness of grief."

One by one they followed Legolas. Aragorn almost seemed glad to let him take the lead, the long day finally getting to him too. When the hobbits entered the water, each of them stilled for a little while as the river washed over their feet. It seemed to have revived them by the time they reached the other side, as they looked a little less weary. As for Hattie, she couldn't really feel anything but cold and wet seeping through her shoes and leggings.

 _And now I have wet socks. Great. This day could not possibly get any better._

Just as Legolas said there was a bank not far on the other side, topped with a few golden trees and a circle of stones. Here the Fellowship stopped and wordlessly set about making camp. A fire was soon made, and with everyone seated, the food was passed.

"Miss Hattie?"

Hattie looked up to see Pippin standing in front of her.

"Hm?" She replied absently. She had set herself down on a stone that was furthest from the fire after dumping her packs, uncertain of what to do with herself or her wet shoes. The hobbit put his hand forward, holding a piece of hardtack out to her.

"Here," He said distantly. Hattie guessed that it was because of how tired he was than any adverse feeling towards her, and she took small comfort in that.

"Ah. Thanks." She took it gently, but only held it for a while. She really didn't want to eat, but her desperate stomach soon had her nibbling at it. Silence fell over them all as the others began to tentatively eat too, but it was clear there was something on their minds. Hattie then felt her gut twist and she rightly guessed what was going to happen next. She prayed for another minute to gather her thoughts together, but it was denied.

"Now that we have a moment from danger...I would have the Fellowship hold council." Spoke up Boromir, and everyone looked towards him. When no protest met him, Boromir continued, purposefully meeting each one of the Fellowship's eye, "We have been most sorrowfully betrayed."

As she feared they would, everyone then turned to look at Hattie. She didn't dare meet them, instead, she picked at the remaining hardtack until crumbs spilled onto her lap. She realized that this wasn't helping her appear any less guilty looking, and with a sigh placed the hardtack aside.

"I agree. And I for one wish to know what we shall do with the traitor!" Gimli spoke loudly before Hattie had a chance to even open her mouth. Luckily, Aragorn came to her rescue.

"We shall hear her truth." He said sternly, his hand held up to silence the dwarf from saying more, "It would seem Gandalf held secrets with her he did not see fit to share with us. I would hear them now if you would, Miss O'Connor."

Looking to her, the Ranger gave Hattie the floor. She swallowed, her mouth dry from the hardtack and her nervousness. Before this 'council' was over, she somehow had to convince the Fellowship that she was not a witch or a traitor. And while she had a plan…it wasn't a very good one. Her plan was to, _finally_ , take Gandalf's advice and speak the truth. Sort of. She just hoped they didn't tie her to a tree and leave her for the orcs. Or worse, behead her here and now.

 _Cheery Hattie. Real cheery._ She thought with a sigh before she began tentatively.

"Gandalf...Gandalf knew he would die in Moria."

"You predicted this?" Aragorn asked, his tone surprisingly calm.

"Y-yes." She stuttered, only to shake her head and rephrase, "I mean, I didn't tell him. Not in words. Gandalf sort of just _knew_ , and I confirmed it. It seemed to be this unspoken rule that I shouldn't tell him or any of you anything unless asked. And he never asked."

Looking up, Hattie gauged the initial reactions of the Fellowship. Boromir's and Gimli's were as she expected, but the others seemed…more conflicted. At least they were listening to her. Emboldened, Hattie straightened herself up and spoke louder.

"He did what he could to avoid it, I think. He tried to lead you guys over the mountains, but Saruman would not let you pass. You all took a vote then, and I only cast mine with you. We all decided that Moria was our only option."

"Lies!" Boromir predictably interjected, "The Gap of Rohan would not have cost us so dearly as Moria has!"

Hattie was ready for this though, and with her voice barely shaking responded, "Do you think if I knew of another way, I would have taken it? I lost something too."

"A mutt! What is that worth?" He spat, and a wave of anger overtook Hattie's thin veil of calm.

"Screw you! He was my friend!"

Boromir, sensing he had been insulted, made to stand, but Aragorn once more interfered.

"Enough!" He ordered, and while Boromir seemed to debate whether or not it was worthwhile to listen to the Ranger, Hattie forced herself to continue even as unexpected tears began to well up and blur her vision.

"Look, I knew Gandalf would face danger and would die protecting the Fellowship. But I didn't know Wolf would die too. I don't see everything. How can I?" She choked, feeling her hands beginning to shake as she suddenly realized how scared she was, "I...I didn't mean to lie to you all. If I had told you about Balin, about the Balrog, we would not have gone through Moria. It was-"

"I care not that Gandalf's death was prophesied by you witch! His death was needless! It could have been avoided, admit it!" Boromir spoke once he found his resolve again. This time Aragorn's placation was not enough, and he was moving around the fire closer to Hattie. Instinct took over for her, and quickly she was standing as well.

"Everyone dies!" She shouted, half-panicked, half-angry, "Everyone! And I know the dates! For fuck's sake, you're played by Sean Bean, you're on borrowed time as it is!"

Boromir, at this unexpected threat, stopped. Even if he did not understand all she said, he was looking at her in a horror-mixed confusion. Almost all of the Fellowship were, and Hattie instantly regretted her words. This was decidedly _not_ the way to win them over. Internally, she groaned, _Great Hattie. Just great. Why don't you make the hobbits start crying next? I'm sure that will help!_

At least they were silent for her, and so directing her anger towards something useful, she pressed to continue.

"It needed to happen! If Gandalf had not died, then there would be no chance of ever defeating Sauron! You might as well have given up and served yourselves on a silver platter to the Watcher. Trust me, that would be the kind way out."

Again, Hattie took in the reactions of the Fellowship, and it wasn't good. She still wasn't winning any of them over. If anything, the only thing she had done was make them afraid of her. While it stopped them from interrupting her, Hattie highly doubted it would help her any in the long run. She needed a gentler tactic, and so tried to backtrack and repair what damage had been done.

"Look, um, Gandalf's death...it was like the domino effect. No, wait, more like the butterfly." She tried, only to pull at her hair in frustration. God, why were metaphors so hard? "It was a piece that needed to fall into place to complete the…uh, picture? Like Bilbo taking the Ring from Gollum, or the Fellowship coming together. I wish it didn't have to happen, but it did."

"You speak of our companion's life like it was a pawn!" Objected Gimli.

 _Oh, chess. I can work with that,_ Thought Hattie before she continued.

"No, he's more like the Queen if you ask me. And he died defending the King," She said, looking to Frodo. "That way, you all are still in the game. You still have a chance. If he hadn't sacrificed himself, well, game over."

At her singling him out, Frodo's face went pale. Hattie's remaining anger was all to easily replaced by guilt. She was just trying to make excuses for herself, but they had lost a friend, the same as she. Thinking this, she wondered what she would like to hear herself in comfort, but could think of nothing comforting. So she sat back down and continued to tell the truth all while fiddling with the locket around her neck.

"I'm sorry. I'm...I don't know everything. I really don't. And even when I do, I'm just the messenger. I can't change anything."

"Then what use are you, if I may ask?" Gimli asked with a growl. Hattie couldn't help but chuckle.

"I don't know. Honestly. Gandalf wanted me to help you after he was gone. Advise where I could and help guide...but none of you really need me."

"And yet, you sought out this Fellowship anyways." Boromir disputed, "I say you lie. You wished to take the Ring for yourself."

Again, Hattie laughed, and looked at him with a weak smile, "And how do you suggest I do that? Hm? I can't touch it without fainting like an idiot. You all saw that."

"It is true. I heard her speak with _Mithrandir_ when she awoke afterward." Spoke Legolas, startling Hattie. Looking to him, Hattie wondered back to that day on the climb up Caradhras. That's right, he held her after she fainted, keeping her warm. Hattie felt a flush of embarrassment start on her face at the memory.

"Miss O'Connor had interrupted a vision of hers by picking up the Ring instead of Boromir that day."

Here, a few of the Fellowship frowned and turned towards the Prince-Steward. He seemed just as surprised as they were, and once more he regarded Hattie fearfully. Hattie ignored the look as she herself studied Legolas, his expression was unreadable even as he continued.

"She had nearly died for that mistake, for the black magic of the Ring nearly killed her. _Mithrandir_ knew then there were dire consequences for not heeding her visions."

This seemed to be the turning point Hattie had been hoping for because then the Fellowship allowed silence to fall once the elf was done speaking. Their brows were knitted in thought as they reflected this evidence along with what Hattie had shared with them. Most of them seemed on the brink of making their conclusions, so Hattie thought she had better say her last piece.

"Look," She began, suddenly feeling too much and nothing at all, "I understand if none of you like me. I don't really like me either right now. But you heard it from Gandalf himself, he had to face the danger in Moria and he didn't want me telling any of you. I made a mistake lying to Gimli about Balin, yes, and I'm so, so fucking sorry for that. But I paid for it by losing my only friend in this world. Everything else was in Gandalf's hands."

At the mention of Wolf, Hattie felt another wave of tears threaten to burst. She thought she had run out, but in all the mix of anger, guilt, and fear, it seemed she had a few more left. But she really didn't want to cry now, not in front of them all. Shaking and sniffling, Hattie tried to keep a stiff upper lip. She tried to hide it, embarrassed, but as the Fellowship one by one started to look back at her, they all saw how distressed she was. Maybe her being so pathetic helped, because it was Aragorn who spoke first.

"Miss O'Connor..." He started, hesitating a moment as if still uncertain before saying, "I find myself believing you."

Hattie wanted to sigh in relief, but she felt this was too good to be true. He actually believed her?

"Gandalf obviously trusted you far more than he did the rest of the Fellowship if he told you to keep such a grave secret. It must have been a heavy burden."

Aragorn's sympathy for her was not helping assuage Hattie's guilt, but when he raised his placed his hand above his heart in a gesture of fidelity, she felt comforted. "I would be glad of any advice you could give to us on our journey."

Truth be told, Hattie did not really think Aragorn would side with her. Until this moment he seemed conflicted, but maybe it was Legolas's testimony on her behalf that did the trick. Either way, Hattie was beyond grateful to the Ranger. She offered him a smile, however small, to show her appreciation. He, in return, nodded to her.

 _Wow. I might actually survive this night._

"If that witch will continue with this Company, then I will bid my farewell here and now!" Gimli shouted, reminding the others that he was decidedly not for Hattie. But Aragorn once more took up the role of peacekeeper and turned to address the dwarf.

"And face the orcs of Moria alone? I do not think the seer need speak on how unwise that act would be."

Gimli sputtered, obviously not ready with a comeback. Eventually, he managed to bite out in his anger, "We know of Aragorn and Boromir's opinion. What say the hobbits?"

The whole company turned. The hobbits were the only ones not to say anything during this whole exchange, though they listened very intently. With all attention on them, a few looked down to their feet in thought. They too were heavily considering their answers, and just when Hattie started to get anxious, Sam stood up. He was clutching his hands to the side of his jacket, looking nervous but bravely meeting everyone's eyes as he addressed them.

"I wish Mr. Gandalf was not gone." He said sorrowfully, "But Miss Hattie is a kind girl. Bill let her ride him, and he could see evil in a heart a mile away."

"She's an honorary hobbit." Spoke up Merry as he stood up too.

"Hattie the Huge." Nodded Pippin, joining them, "That's as honest as big folk can come."

These replies were not to the liking of Boromir or Gimli, but Hattie was positively melting. Tears were welling again, but this time in gratitude. She knew that hobbits were the sweetest of Tolkien's creation, but this was unexpected. Of Gandalf's mourners, the hobbits showed the most emotion, and it obviously cut them deeply. That they could, almost in their own way, forgive her, was beyond Hattie's hopes for this evening.

 _Maybe Gandalf was right…maybe I do have the beginnings of friendship…_

However, there was one voice that had not spoken. Perhaps the most important voice of all. Glancing, all watched Frodo. He was still seated, and one hand was to his chest, playing with the chain the Ring was held on. His eyes were distant, staring off into the fire in front of him. It crackled for a while, filling the silence when Frodo finally sighed.

"I...I do not know."

Hattie felt her stomach twist as Frodo finally looked to her, his expression still detached though there was grief in his eyes.

"Do not ask for my forgiveness, for I do not think I can give it, Miss Hattie." He looked away then, shaking his head as if it hurt to look at her, "Not yet. Not for some time. But I heard Gandalf as well as the rest. He knew of the danger, knew it must be faced before Lothlorien, and yet he left it to us to decide as a Fellowship when the Redhorn Pass closed. We indeed voted for the path through Moria, and the choice has cost us all. I will mourn Gandalf dearly. But as my uncle Bilbo says, to go back is no good at all. The only thing to do is go forward."

A 'pop' came from the fire as a piece of wood snapped and broke, sending a mild shower of embers up in the air. Everyone hung onto the hobbit's next words.

"I would not wish to go forward without guidance, however. So...I would have you help us, Miss Hattie. As Gandalf intended."

Hattie released a breath she did not know she was holding. With as much sincerity as she could muster, she weakly smiled at Frodo. He stared at her as if there was something else he wished to say, but soon he was lost in thought again, twisting and playing with the chain. Hattie looked around, wondering if that was the last of it. The hobbits and Aragorn were with her, outnumbering Gimli and Boromir. The Prince-Steward though did not look as if he had anything more to say. Certainly, she could tell by the way his fists were clenched, he had many more objections, but for some reason, he kept his mouth shut. Gimli too, and their silence spoke of their hesitant, rueful consent to the decision of the others.

It seemed Aragorn had reached the same conclusion, as he then stood.

"Then the Company is decided. Miss O'Connor will remain with us, as Gandalf intend, a guide. And we shall continue on the path to Lothlorien as Gandalf would have led us on. It is the safest passage. Yes?"

He looked to Hattie questioningly. Hattie, knowing there was no harm in it, vigorously nodded in answer. Aragorn appeared satisfied. The others too.

"Very well." Assented Boromir, slowly returning to his previous seat. As if needing to be occupied, he grabbed a slender stick and started to prod the fire before meeting Hattie's eyes. His were cold, and the fire cast grim shadows on his face, "But for any danger that waylays us…I will hold you responsible, _witch_."

He stressed the last word by pointing the glowing end of the stick towards Hattie as if to threaten to torch her with it. Hattie shivered. She hadn't before been afraid of Boromir before. A little wary, mostly for the guilt he made her feel, yes, but not afraid. He was angry, and if anything, Hattie could understand that. But that anger seemed to have changed into something darker. She had enjoyed their short sparing sessions together, and she thought he had too. She was even starting to like how he always called her 'Lady'. Hattie figured it would be in her best interest to avoid being alone with him for the remainder of her stay in Middle-earth.

 _No wonder you shouldn't meet your heroes. They'll end up wanting to burn you on a stake._ She thought as she tried to finish her hardtack.

With nothing more to say to one another, Aragorn suggested they rest for perhaps another hour or so before delving deeper into the woods. He advised anyone that needed sleep take it while they could. Hattie considered laying out her bedroll. But she knew the events of the past twenty-four hours wouldn't let her rest. Especially when the nameless emptiness in her chest came back. She would have to sleep alone tonight for the first time since coming to Middle-earth, and the thought terrified her. Usually, Wolf would have come back from hunting and would be ready to curl up against her and keep her warm. She could almost feel the coarseness of his fur; warm and carrying the scent of wet leaves and smoke.

Finishing the hardtack and wiping the crumbs from off her lap, Hattie was reminded that she still had blood on her sleeves. It had dried, and the green of her military jacket looked simply muddy, but the sight of it made Hattie want to retch her meager meal. Quickly, she went to her pack. Grabbing the baggy her clothes were kept in and her soap, Hattie stood up.

"Where are you going?"

Hattie turned to see Gimli glaring at her.

"The river. I want to wash the blood of my friend off if you don't mind." She told him, having nothing to hide. The dwarf harrumphed at her, but he and the others let her be as she left the circle they made around the fire.

The Nimrodel was not far from the company, and Hattie could still see the glow of the fire when she reached its banks. She figured it would not be in her best interest to go too far away though, but for the sake of privacy, she situated herself so she was protected from their view by a boulder. Kneeling by the bank, she took off her jacket and sweater. Her flannel shirt was thankfully untouched by the blood, but Hattie wanted to change anyway if just to make herself feel a little better.

Not bothering to remove her bra, Hattie quickly slipped into her other flannel shirt, but not before quickly washing her underarms. She then took the time to wash her face, neck, and hair. As she did so, she then could understand why the hobbits looked better after having crossed the river. The water really did feel soothing. It was cold, yes, but to her face, puffy from crying so much, it was more than replenishing. Even her previously dislocated shoulder felt better, as did the heaviness in her heart. After she was done, she managed to scrub the blood off her sweater and jacket with only a few sniffles.

Finished with all she set out to do, Hattie began packing her things up, only to stop. She didn't really want to go back to the fire circle and have to avoid eye contact with all of the Fellowship. Even if things had sorted themselves out in her favor, she knew that Gandalf's death was not something any of them were going to get over anytime soon. And while she really only wanted to go home…she couldn't stand the thought that she worsened the loss for them. The things she said, were they the right things? Sure, she lost her temper at one point, and at another sniveled like a kid being grounded, but overall she did her best, yes? Would Gandalf have approved? Would Wolf? Did it even matter thinking about them now, when they were gone?

 _Well, Gandalf will be back. And then he can deal with all the drama. But…Wolf…_

Hattie sat there, arms around her legs and the toes of her shoes barely an inch from the Nimrodel. She listened to it, the gentle flow of the water rippling through the roots of several trees and over stones. She didn't want to start crying again, but she didn't know if she could keep herself from it. Wolf had been her friend, but it was more than that. He was a tie to home. No, he was home. Her memories were shaky at best, but Hattie knew that there was little waiting for her on Earth. Her grandparents were dead, somehow, and her father out of her life. Hattie had no inkling why, but from what she remembered from the texts between them before her phone died, it was obvious there was little love between them. Then…what was the point?

 _My mother_ , Hattie thought desperately, _maybe I still have my mother._

Maybe, but it was hard to keep hope on a maybe. Unbidden, Hattie recalled some of the wizard's words.

 _"You sound so certain that all you wish is to return to your world."_

 _"Of course it is."_

 _"Perhaps…"_

Hattie groaned, resting her forehead against her knees.

 _Even dead, the wizard is still lecturing me._

Hattie felt conflicted on what to do next. Her options were limiting themselves to returning to the fire circle and pretending that things were not as awkward and as terrible between her and the Fellowship as they were, or staying here and eventually breaking down and sobbing about everything. The latter seemed ready to win out when she heard something.

It was deep, and beautiful, and rose over the gentle flow of the Nimrodel. The sound, a voice Hattie realized, did not overpower the river, no, but accompanied it. Rich, warm, Hattie almost felt as if the sound was reaching her bones, echoing in her chest and making the emptiness disappear for a brief, blissful moment. She stood up, looking to see if she could find the elf she knew was responsible.

 _"An Elven-maid there was of old,_

 _A shining star by day:_

 _Her mantle white was hemmed with gold,_

 _Her shoes of silver-grey._

 _A star was bound upon her brows,_

 _A light was on her hair_

 _As sun upon the golden boughs_

 _In Lórien the fair._

 _Her hair was long, her limbs were white,_

 _And fair she was, and free…"_

Hattie tried to follow after Legolas's voice, wanting to hear it better. He must have gone out patrolling a little because when she glanced at the fire, he was not there among the others. When did he leave? She hadn't really thought about him since he spoke about her accident with the Ring. She didn't want to see him, not more than any of the others, but she just had to hear the rest of the song. It calmed her, and right now, all she wanted was for that to last as long as it could.

Slowly, carefully, she walked along the bank, further away from the others. When she finally managed to pinpoint the direction the elf's voice was coming from, she drew as close as she dared. She stopped soon by a tree, guessing that he probably was somewhere on the other side of the river, and sat underneath it.

Pulling her knees to her chest, she continued to listen. A wind picked up, playing through her hair and the branches of the tree above her. Their rustling sounded like rainfall, and Legolas's voice a far away thunder. In his tone was a haunting feeling of knowing, and Hattie could tell that this song would not have a happy ending. Still, she wanted to hear the rest of it. This was the first moment of peace she had during this very long, very terrible day. Her eyes tried to search for movement, wondering where Legolas was on the opposite bank. Her search became a little frantic when the song unexpectedly ended, and Hattie was worried that Legolas had come across something dangerous.

"Do you hear the voice of Nimrodel?" Asked a voice above Hattie.

"Eep!" Was the strangled sound of panic Hattie let out. Looking up, she saw, reclining languidly in the branches above, the elf. Seeing him only brought her panic down from life-threatening to absolute mortification at having been caught.

"Oh. I thought you, I mean, I didn't, I…" She tried to explain, but her tongue seemed to have lost the ability to form sentences. From what little she could see of his face, Legolas did not look annoyed, but Hattie bet that he did not really wish for an audience, and that was why he stopped.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you." She said dejectedly as she made to stand, sorry that she would not get to hear the rest of the song. Legolas's next words stilled her though.

"Nay, I was finished. I have forgotten the rest of it. It was taught to me long ago."

Curious, Hattie glanced up at him again and frowned.

"Well, that's…sad."

Internally, Hattie groaned.

 _Oh, way to go stupid. Why don't you say his dad wears dresses next?_

Legolas had nothing to say to this, and some part of his stoic expression made Hattie think that maybe he agreed with her in part. She looked back to the river though, not wanting to further embarrass herself. Hattie wanted to leave, but it would be awkward if she just slunk off now. Then he would definitely know that she was listening to his enchanting voice. Still, she wondered if it would be better for her to leave…when something occurred to her. Curiosity kept her seated then, and she considered how she could phrase it when Legolas spoke.

"You have a question."

 _God. It's like he can read my mind._

"I do. Uh, sort of." She bit her lip nervously before speaking, "You…you didn't vote."

" _Hiraetha?_ " (Pardon?)

Hattie sighed, not certain if she wanted to repeat herself. She knew what Boromir and Gimli thought of her, though she would be pressed to say that Gimli seemed angry with her while Boromir was way beyond that. Sam, Merry, and Pippin still seemed to like her, while Aragorn and Frodo seemed willing to put up with her for the sake of Gandalf and the Fellowship. But Legolas…he never really voiced his opinion. Sure, he spoke on her behalf, but those were facts. She had so much uncertainty and dread right now, she just didn't think she had any room for more. Especially when it came to her third favorite elf.

"About what to do with me. You didn't say what you wanted." She glanced up, surprised to see him now positioned to better look down at her. Intimidated, she focused on picking at the mud that had dried on her boots, "It's just…you were right. I was hiding something. You were right to call me out on it. I'm sorry for acting, well, suspicious. I was feeling guilty for what was going to happen before it happened."

When she had finished, Hattie suddenly regretted saying anything. What if he said he hated her guts? She really couldn't take it if another one of her heroes preferred if she was the one who fell with the Balrog. Well, she shouldn't care, because she would do – most – of the same things again if she needed to. Gandalf was wrong about her, about how the Fellowship felt about her. All she cared about was Wolf and going home, and now she only had the latter that would be all that mattered to her.

But when the elf did speak, Hattie hung on his every word.

"I suspected secrets between you and _Mithrandir_ , though not of their nature. Though I grieve for him, I do believe he went into Moria of his own volition and faced the consequences willingly."

Hattie was about to breathe a sigh of relief, but then Legolas continued.

"But I believe what I challenged was your uneasiness towards the Prince-Steward."

"Right." She grimaced, wondering what to say, "I was worried about him. I still am. He has a lot of anger and fear. Most of it directed at me now."

It wasn't a lie…but it wasn't the whole truth. She was worried about Boromir then, but it was rather for him than of him. Legolas could take it any way he wanted to.

"I see you have taken Gandalf's advice, and are speaking the truth."

Hattie chuckled uneasily. Had he been listening to her heart beating again, trying to detect a lie? And when did he hear Gandalf tell her that? And why do elves have super hearing anyway? It doesn't really make any sense now that she really thought about it. It was ridiculous actually.

"You elves really do hear everything," Hattie said instead.

" _Baw, lye lasto_." (No, we listen) He responded with, and Hattie frowned. Not because she didn't understand his reply, but because she realized he was evading.

"You still haven't told me your answer though."

Hattie risked a glance back up at him. He was still staring down at her from his perch, and she instantly found his eyes in the dark. She hadn't meant to, but now that she had she again wondered again if all elves, not just Galadriel, could read minds. God, she hoped not, as she immediately began to think of every terrible thing she had done. For some reason, an incident involving her, a carton of ice cream, and her grandfather's favorite book leaped to mind. This memory was jolted from her when Legolas spoke.

"Perhaps I have no answer to give. I am…undecided." He told her before saying to himself, " _Lle dartha thurin an amin_." (You remain a mystery to me)

That was…not what Hattie expected to hear. And it wasn't something she wanted to hear either if she was honest. But Legolas seemed to have been truthful in his answer, and that was probably the best she could expect at this time. It was all she really deserved anyway.

"Oh. O-okay."

Standing, Hattie turned to leave. She started to go over towards the fire the others were still gathered around when she groaned and turned back. Her stuff was still by the riverbank. Her impromptu washing had left her feeling better, but her talk with Legolas left her…well, no worse than she was this morning, really. It was so strange that everything that happened, happened in a day. But Hattie didn't want to think about it. Her exhaustion was starting to win over her anxiety and sadness. Wordlessly, Hattie returned laid out her shoes and socks by the fire, and without even bothering to take out her bedroll, curled up against her packs and tried to sleep.

 **~o0o~**

It seemed Hattie had only just closed her eyes when Aragorn began to then gently shaking her awake. Only two hours had passed since their stopping, and they needed to move again unless they wanted to be orc fodder. Hattie, bleary-eyed and somehow even more exhausted than before, nodded and packed up her belongings. Luckily her shoes were dry now, which was some comfort. After nervously debating on where to place herself, Hattie deciding to hang in the back of the group, with the hobbits and Gimli. The dwarf didn't look too pleased to be walking beside her but said nothing as Aragorn led them back to the path.

Hattie really didn't want to walk any farther but knew that it wouldn't be for long. Soon enough the Fellowship would stop again, and it would be then that Haldir would find them and give them shelter. In the book, it was mentioned that he and his fellow guards had food with them, and so Hattie preoccupied herself with fantasies of what that might mean.

 _God, not hardtack. Anything but hardtack._

Going deeper into the woods…somehow the air about them seemed different. Like a storm was coming, only the night was warm and calm. And strange. Even in the dark, the leaves gave off a brilliant gold as they shivered in the wind. It was fortunate they did, as Aragorn had decided against making torches from the fire. Probably to avoid the eyes of the enemy, but Hattie was her own worst enemy as she continuously tripped over the silver roots of the trees. And the headache that came over her wasn't helping. It was with her when she woke up, but she chalked it up to fatigue. Still, it felt familiar though…a short of sharpness concentrated on the back of her head, almost like the one she had when she first woke up in Middle-earth.

 _Don't. Don't think that, otherwise you're going to get the X-Files theme stuck in your head again, and I don't think I can really handle that right now._

Hattie wasn't the only one the forest was starting to get to, as the hobbits seemed to look about them with a kind of nervousness. Merry and Pippin were nearly glued to each other's sides, and Frodo kept glancing behind him worriedly. Their apprehension wasn't helping Hattie any, as she too started to worry. They should have stopped by now. Haldir should be here. Was he running late?

"Stay close, young hobbits!" Suddenly warned Gimli ahead of her, "They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf-witch, or terrible power. All who look upon her, fall under her spell…"

The hobbits' eyes grew wide at this, but Hattie felt some relief. That is until her headache suddenly worsened. She had to stop, making Frodo nearly bump into her. Did she get a concussion and not know about it?

"…and are never seen again."

The pain lessened, as suddenly as it came, and Hattie had to roll her eyes. She thought she was Gimli's least favorite witch.

"Mister Frodo?" Asked Sam behind her, and Hattie turned to see the gardener looking at his friend in concern. Hattie guessed that Galadriel was speaking to the hobbit right now in his mind. But she ignored the hobbit to look ahead in anticipation, recognizing this scene.

 _Guess we're going by Jackson's telling. Odd how often that happens…_

"Well, here is one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily." Sniffed Gimli proudly, "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!"

"And five, four, three…two…" Hattie muttered.

"What are you counting, witch?" Grumbled the dwarf as he was about to turn and face her…only to find a notched arrow pointed right between his eyes. He stopped dead, the sharp arrowhead little less than a few inches from his face.

"Oh." He breathed nervously, edging back a little.

"One." Hattie couldn't help but smirk. But going back to the matter at hand, the Fellowship quickly found themselves to be surrounded by three figures. Aragorn and Boromir had their hands at their swords, ready to fight, while Legolas had already drawn his bow. He was uncertain which of the shadowy figure he should be aiming at, but their alarm turned out to be unnecessary as a voice, light with mirth, spoke.

"The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark."

As Hattie expected, Haldir stepped forward…but he looked different then what she was expecting. Well, knowing only one elf so far - movie versions excluded - Hattie only had Legolas as a comparison. Impossibly, Haldir was taller than Legolas, broader too. His nose was larger, and his jaw strongly square cut, and his eyebrows dark. His hair, long and braided, was silver like starlight. He was unearthly handsome alright, but in a different, more rugged way than Legolas, which was not a bad thing Hattie decided.

 _Dang…are elves just my type or something? No, no. I'm just tired, that's all._

At the insult, Gimli growled beside Hattie, drawing her out of her ogling. But having had his fun, Haldir lifted his hand, and the bows of his two companions were lowered. This, in turn, caused a wave of relief to wash over the Fellowship. Recognizing the strangers as allies, Legolas and Aragorn stepped forward to Haldir. Haldir, recognizing Legolas as one of his kin, placed a hand to his chest and bowed to the golden-haired elf.

" _Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion. Lye lasta en I'tulgwennen."_ (Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil. We heard of the Fellowships' coming).

Legolas lowered his head respectfully in turn though not as deeply as Haldir did.

 _"Govannas vîn gwennen le, Haldir o Lórien, an_ _omentië_ _men."_ (Our Fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lórien, for meeting us.)

Haldir nodded and then turned to Aragorn with a more informal smile. " _A, Aragorn in Dúnedain istannen le amen_." (Oh, Aragorn of the Dúnedain, you are known to us)

"Haldir."

Aragorn bowed in a similar way Haldir had to Legolas, and Hattie wished she knew what they were saying. She tried to peer around the three of them, trying to get a view of the other two elves that were still hiding in the shadows. They were supposed to be Haldir's brothers, but she couldn't really tell.

" _Lye lasta qisse et Elrond_ –"(We heard rumors from Elrond's-) Haldir began, only to then be interrupted by Gimli.

"So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves! Speak words we all can understand!"

Haldir paused to look back towards the dwarf as if he forgot the rest of them. But he took Gimli's grouchiness well and approached closer with a smile.

"I say welcome." He spoke in the Common Tongue, "We seldom use any tongue but our own; for we do not willingly have dealings with any other folk. Haldir is my name."

He bowed to the Company, and out of respect, Boromir and the hobbits tentatively did the same as well. Not wanting to be rude, Hattie struggled to curtsey or something, while Gimli did nothing but frown. Gesturing behind him, Haldir pointed to the shadows of the others.

"My brothers, Rúmil and Orophin, speak little of your tongue." At their names being spoken, the two other elves stepped closer. Seeing them clearly, Hattie could tell they all indeed were brothers. One was taller than Haldir however, while one had an intimidating scar on his sharp cheekbone, but who was who Hattie couldn't tell.

"We have heard rumors of your coming," He explained, putting the others further at ease, "for the messengers of Elrond passed by Lórien on their way home up the Dimrill Stair. We were willing to befriend you, as Elrond asked, though it is not our custom to lead strangers through our land."

Hattie caught that 'were willing'. Probably a dwarf being in the mix threw a wrench into things, but Hattie was not going to stand here any longer than necessary for some thousand-year-old prejudice. Haldir though looked first to the hobbits with a kind smile.

"We had not heard of halflings, for many a long year, and did not know that any yet dwelt in Middle-earth." The hobbits, in general, seemed pleased to have proven this elf wrong. But Haldir looked to Frodo in specific while he spoke, as if somehow, he could sense something off about this hobbit in particular. Hattie feared how much like Peter Jackson's telling this would be, and if Aragorn would need to argue with Haldir about letting them travel to Lothlorien. But it seemed, as Haldir finally faced the dwarf once more, he only had reservations against one of them.

"Elrond spoke not of a dwarf." Haldir said as he approached Gimli intimidatingly, "We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days. They are not permitted in our land."

Gimli, with more fury than diplomacy, spat back with, "And you know what this dwarf says to that? _Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!_ " (I spit upon your grave)

Aragorn, turning towards the dwarf, looking to Hattie like he was 100% done as he placed his hand on the dwarf.

"That was not so courteous." He warned lowly, but it was too late. The damage was done.

"I cannot allow him to pass," Haldir stated firmly, and this sent a ripple of protest and questions through the Fellowship. Gimli was already stringing together another batch of Dwarvish swears while Aragorn tried to both keep him at bay and entreat Haldir. Hattie wanted to tear her hair out in frustration. Why couldn't they just move on already to the elves' camp? Hattie was barely standing on a week without proper sleep or food! Damn elves and dwarves all together, she wanted a nap!

"He's not so bad, okay? So don't get your pretty hair in a knot." She groaned in frustration, turning all eyes to her, "I mean, sure, Gimli's a bit of a grouch and snores too loud, but Elrond chose him to be a part of the Fellowship. To diss Gimli is to diss Elrond's decisions. So can we please just all be friends and go eat?"

Her testament on his behalf seemed to surprise Gimli, but Hattie just wanted to get things moving again. She bit her lip though when Haldir came to suddenly stand before her. She noticed that his eyes were a light blue, different from Legolas's darker, almost greyish shade, but just as aloof.

"And now who is this? Elrond did not mention a woman either." He asked as he looked her up and down. He probably thought she was a hobbit before, given how short she was, but had her singled out now. Hattie guessed she was supposed to be intimidated, but she was just too tired to care anymore. She had had enough of that kind of shit from Boromir and Gimli today anyway. Before she could introduce herself though, Aragorn took the lead, probably to prevent any further disasters.

"This is Hattie O'Connor. Gandalf had her join us after we left Rivendell. She is a seer." He explained, and Haldir raised an eyebrow quizzically.

 _God, how can eyebrows be so beautiful? They're like a work of art!_

"A seer? How strange. I did not think humans had such abilities." He commented dryly, and Hattie wondered if he meant something more by it.

"Yeah, well, shows what you know." Came her tired and cranky response, "I knew you'd be here to meet us, but I didn't think you'd take so long. And I'll just tell you now to save us all a bit of time that you're going to bring the dwarf along anyway, so can we just skip this part? Or do you prefer to have a dwarf was set loose in your woods? Alone, and angry...with an ax?"

Aragorn lowered his head, pinching the bridge of his nose in disappointment, reminding Hattie of the wizard they had just lost this morning. Hattie wondered herself where this newfound boldness – ahem, stupidity – was coming from. Without Wolf or Gandalf, it seemed she had little to no filter, not that she really had one before. But she feared she might have gone a step too far when Haldir, turning his nose up at her, retreated to converse with his brothers. After a moment they signaled for Legolas to come over, and he joined in their whispers.

"Hmph. All this trouble just to sleep in some direful forest. We had a more cheery welcome in Moria." Gimli groused to Aragorn. But the Ranger was not listening to the dwarf, but intently to the whispers of the elves, looking very concerned for a moment. But then he heard something that made his tightened jaw relax. Not long after, Haldir once more turned to address the group. His face was a bit terse, but he continued in a polite voice.

"Very well, we will allow him to enter, though it is against our liking."

Everyone in the Fellowship breathed out in relief. But as Haldir looked over them once more, he frowned.

"And _Mithrandir_? Where is he? Elrond told us to expect him."

At Gandalf's other name, the looks of the Fellowship became bleak. Many lowered their heads, but Aragorn shook his head as he struggled and failed to find the words. Haldir did not appear that he fully understood the meaning of this reaction, but nodded solemnly nonetheless.

"I see. You shall share what has befallen _Mithrandir_." He addressed to Aragorn, somehow already knowing him as the leader of this band, "But your folk must not remain on the ground. We have seen orcs going north toward Moria, along the skirts of the mountains, many days ago. Wolves are howling on the wood's borders. If you have indeed come from Moria, the peril cannot be far behind."

 _Oh, well that's just fucking great._ Groaned Hattie internally. As if this Fellowship had not had enough trouble for one day. But she supposed it would be alright, as there were other elves guarding the border of Lothlorien. The orcs wouldn't stand a chance once they crossed the Nimrodel.

To Hattie's eternal gratitude and relief, Haldir finally directed them to follow him towards their watch post. They walked for only a little while before they came to a thicket of trees. From one of them, a rope ladder was thrown down, nearly hitting Pippin in the forehead. Following the rope ladder up the impossibly high tree, the hobbit gulped.

"I much prefer to sleep on the ground." He confessed as Haldir and his brothers climbed up first.

"Aye. I second that. I wish not to keep the company of squirrels." Grunted Gimli in agreement. Aragorn shook his head tiredly as he then stepped up to the ladder.

"Come, Gimli, Pippin, you will be safe up here. Unless you plan on digging yourselves a hole to burrow in." He commented as he followed up after the elves, disappearing into the boughs of the trees. Gimli huffed at the Ranger's comment and crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Dwarves are not partial to climbing trees." He insisted. Legolas, now stepping up to the ladder himself, turned a smirk towards the dwarf.

"Do you wish me to carry you then? Though, I fear you may be too heavy. Perhaps we can send down a basket on a rope and you can climb in?" The elf must be feeling a bit more like his old self to tease the dwarf. But at his sarcasm, which half the hobbits actually thought him serious, Gimli was fuming.

"Why you no good, pointed eared, cabbage brained, dew-beating, tree hugging, snoutband– " Gimli continued to list other colorful phrases in Khuzdul as he approached the ladder himself and climbed up, chasing after Legolas as he disappeared. It was a little bit of a struggle with Gimli's short legs, but he managed it slowly. Next in line was Hattie, but she wondered how she was going to help Wolf get up there…when she realized it would not be necessary.

The thought numbed her as she started to climb, and despite the awkwardness of the ladder and the slight wind that moved it shakily about, she managed to make it to the top just fine. Meeting her was a large wooden platform, through which a small hole near the middle was where the ladder ended. Fitting through it, Hattie saw a hand reach out to help her onto the platform. She took it, realizing a second later that it belonged to one of Haldir's brothers. He pulled her up till she was standing on the platform, and his eyes widened in surprise as he looked at her. He must not have paid her much attention before now because he was nearly gaping at her now. Confused and worried she had something on her face, Hattie took her hand back, and went over to the corner where the Fellowship was dumping their stuff.

The platform reminded Hattie of a tree house. It was large and flat, built around the branches rather than having them cut away. On the edge of one side was some kind of screen, probably for protection against the wind or something. There were also some other elves up with them and on other platforms further away. They looked to the Fellowship curiously, and under Haldir's orders, food and furs for bedding were passed out for their guests. A wooden bowl of nuts, berries, some cheese and a slice of some kind of white bread was given to Hattie as well as the others. It all tasted so wonderful, even if simple, after so long of eating hardtack. A waterskin was passed around too, and when it was Hattie's turn to sip, she nearly spat it out.

"Agh, what the hell?!" She grimaced.

"What lass, can't handle your drink?" Laughed the dwarf. Hattie didn't really appreciate being laughed at, but at least he didn't call her a witch again.

"This is alcohol?" She asked, wary of the waterskin still in her hand.

 _Oh, no, I'm not twenty-one! Or wait, am I? Either way, it seems that I don't drink._

"Ay, wine," Gimli said with a smirk, "if you could call it that. More like dishwater to me."

His jibe had its effect, and Haldir looked over from where he and Aragorn were speaking to glare at the dwarf. Aragorn sent a warning look towards the dwarf before continuing his talk with Haldir. Legolas was beside them, and Hattie bet they were talking about Gandalf's death. Feeling her stomach suddenly twist, Hattie took several gulps from the skin before passing it along.

 _Ah, yeah, that burns._ _Never doing that again._

The wine left a fragrant aftertaste on her tongue, but Hattie was surprised that it helped lighten her headache some. Then again, her whole body felt like it was floating a little as she set about making a bed for the night. Laying out the furs and her bedroll, she managed to make a kind of nest beside Frodo. After a time, Aragorn came over and joined them, setting himself up on Hattie's left. It would seem he was already done speaking to Haldir and turning to look at the elf, Hattie could see he was shaken with the news that had been shared. Did Aragorn tell him about Hattie's part in it? Would another person now hate her guts?

Not wanting to think of it, Hattie took off her shoes and got ready to sleep. Grabbing her toothbrush, she tried to give herself some feeling of normalcy. The toothpaste mixed badly with the wine, however, and with a grimace, Hattie moved onto brushing her hair. Washing it in the river had made it dry tangled, and she concentrated on a rather large knot when she noticed she was being watched. Looking over she saw Haldir's brothers, Rúmil and Orophin, standing next to one another and whispering. Legolas and Haldir were not far away, probably still speaking of Gandalf' death, but the other two elves were definitely talking about Hattie. One of them even pointed at her.

"Hey. Um," Hattie whispered towards Aragorn, "Are they talking about me?"

Hattie didn't want to care, she really didn't. But if more people were aiming to condemn her as a witch like Boromir and Gimli, then she'd want to know. Aragorn, looking up from his bowl of food, studied the elves opposite them. After a minute, he almost smiled.

"They are saying your skin is like a fawn's hide."

"What?" Hattie frowned before reaching up to touch her cheeks, "Oh. My freckles."

She supposed to an elf they might be surprising, what with their flawless skin of course. Most of her freckles were rather faded, but they were splattered all over her face, neck, and chest. O'Connor was an Irish name, so Hattie just figured it was in her blood. She probably even had more freckles then before given all the time she had spent outside these past few weeks. Still, she didn't think it was something to gawk at.

"They say they have never seen such skin before. They think you are strange." Continued Aragorn, catching Hattie's frown deepening, "I do not think they mean to be impolite."

"Yeah, well, it's rude to talk about people like they're not here," Hattie muttered, watching as one of the elves, the one with the scar, smiled at Hattie in a way she assumed was meant to be charming before whispering again to his brother. She didn't want to blush, but she did.

 _I really need to learn Elvish. Well, I mean, I know that one phase...but no, I should save that for a special occasion._

Hattie put away her toiletries and started to climb under the fur. Holding it reminded her of Wolf, and she froze. Any thought she had about sleeping was tossed out of her head then. What if he was alive? What if he was wounded, whining, and trying to hide from orcs long enough to find a way out? No…no, he couldn't survive the blood loss. But that was not a more comforting thought. That emptiness, that feeling that something was just _off_ , came back tenfold. Hattie wanted to call it grief, but it felt deeper than that. More awful.

"Gandalf's death…was not in vain." Hattie looked up from the fur, glancing towards her right. Boromir was not far from her, but he was addressing Frodo next to her, "Gandalf would not have you give up hope."

Frodo, suffering in the same way Hattie was, looked up to Boromir. His blue eyes were clouded with grief, and Hattie felt a swell of guilt. Oh, god. She did say that Gandalf died protecting 'the King', or in this case, Frodo. Was he feeling that it was his fault then Gandalf had to die? No, no! That wasn't what she was trying to say at all! What should she do?

 _No, no,_ thought Hattie desperately, _Frodo would have blamed himself for Gandalf's death whether I was here or not. There's nothing I can do..._

"You carry a heavy burden, Frodo…do not carry the weight of the dead." Boromir continued. Frodo pondered this and nodded in quiet thanks to the Prince-Steward. Boromir smiled to the hobbit, but when he caught Hattie staring at him, it was quickly lost. Hattie looked away before he could scowl at her, but his words cut her deeper.

The weight of the dead…that's what she was feeling. That emptiness. That _off-ness_. Before it was her gone memories, then her home, her grandparents, now Wolf. That's what this was. That's what would stay with her, even after she left Middle-earth. She would be going home, whatever that meant for her now, but Wolf would not be coming with her. She had endured the worst possible thing that could happen, and now, she wondered if maybe she deserved it. It was her fault, after all, Wolf dying. Maybe if she hadn't been so stupid, maybe if she hadn't been so focused on going home, maybe she wouldn't be so utterly alone right now.

Gripping the fur until her knuckles went white, Hattie tried to fight the predictable tears that came with her miserable thoughts and failed. Aragorn, laying himself down to sleep, glanced to her.

"Sleep, Miss O'Connor. I know you have need of it."

Hattie only shook her head.

"I don't think I can." She choked on a sob that threatened to come out. Furiously, she rubbed her eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm so stupid. I know he was just a dog, and that he's gone, but I just…I just miss him so much…"

She didn't know if she was saying this to Aragorn, the air, or as some sort of apology to Wolf himself. She half-expected Aragorn to get over herself since they had lost not only a friend but their leader and guide. Hattie felt she would deserve it too, but instead, Aragorn looked upon her, his grey eyes softening.

"Never regret tears shed for a friend. It matters not what the life belonged to, but what it meant to those dearest to it. He died protecting you, you should be proud to have been so loved by such a noble beast."

Hattie snorted a laugh as she continued to rub at her eyes and sniffle.

"Noble? Hell no. He once ate a bag of Doritos and then puked all over my bed. Literally, a whole bag of Doritos. My room smelled like Cool Ranch for weeks." She laughed again, but it felt good to think of a happier memory, and so she smiled, "He was a dumb dog. But he was my dumb dog."

Aragorn, watching her strange mixed expression of happiness and misery, shook his head and rolled over to his side. The Ranger sincerely believed Hattie shared more with Gandalf than secrets. They both seemed to always speak in strange riddles.

"Good night, Miss O'Connor."

"Goodnight...and thank you," Hattie whispered before she was taken by sleep and ill dreams.

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and that you don't think the Fellowship was too hard on Hattie or vice versa. There are a lot of feelings going on among them, and unfortunately, happy happy joy joy is not one of them. I know a lot of you guys are getting frustrated with Hattie and her immature way of handling things, but she will grow, I assure you. But because she was such a block-head, the Fellowship seems on the edge of breaking apart, and the distrust towards Hattie has only lessened a little…

I have to admit, I loved writing that little scene with Hattie and Legolas by the river. I'm sad that in the movies we never got to hear him sing, as that's such an elf thing to do. If anyone has any singer or song that just makes them think 'that's Legolas's voice!' would you mind sharing? I also hope you all are enjoying the slow-mance between Hattie and him, as I always preferred those kinds of clichés. I wonder though…who might be the first to fall in love? I mean, I know, but I wonder what you guys think/want.

Well, that's it for this chapter. I wanted to update before the Holidays really got going (BTW, Happy Holidays to you all, whatever you celebrate, and if you don't, well, have a wonderful day!). Next update will be in January (insert 'see you next year joke' here). Join Hattie then as she and the Fellowship make it to Lothlorien. When their first meeting with Galadriel doesn't end in the way Hattie hoped, she's forced to wait to get a chance to talk to the Lady about sending her home. But Hattie does finally get to sleep on a proper bed and wear pretty dresses! Hurray!


	13. A Short Talk and a Long Sulk

**Chapter 13; A Short Talk and a Long Sulk:**

Surprise!

Yeah…I guess there isn't any real point in me apologizing for the ridiculously long time I have been absent from this story. Seriously though, a lot of your comments voicing concern for not only this story, but for me as well, were very touching. Know that I will _never_ abandon this story. Hattie is one of my favorite OCs, and I just can't wait to write her into more of the trilogy we all know and love. Recently, work and grad school have become a bit easier, so hopefully, I will be returning to my old schedule of posting a chapter about every month/three weeks. Adulting is hard kids, but you just got to deal with it (ha, I am so relatable).

Anyway, this chapter somehow was a bit difficult for me to write, and some strange block came over me while I tried to force my way through it. Seriously, I edited and rewrote this sucker so many times. Turns out the answer was cutting some scenes that didn't really fit and inserting an unplanned chapter. No worries, it simply means that you guys will be getting more Hattie/Legolas moments, which I know you guys all adore. Me too.

Again, thank you for all the support you have offered, the favs, reviews, and follows ( _holy shit, over three hundred favs and five hundred follows?! Thank you all so freaking much!_ ) and I hope you darlings enjoy this long-awaited chapter!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Hattie was paralyzed. She couldn't move, though every part of her burned in agony. Her head felt like it had been cracked open, and she could feel something warm running down her neck. She could smell the metallic tang of it and knew it was blood.

 _Please, help me..._

A voice in the dark, familiar and terrible, called out to her.

 _"Come to me, little one. I will save you."_

 _Yes! Please! I don't want to die!_

" _Quel amrun, pîn opole._ " (Good morning, little fawn)

Hattie felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her awake. Hattie managed to fight off her instinct to panic and hit the first thing she came across, knowing that she had been dreaming. Still, she couldn't help but try and scurry away when she opened her eyes and saw a face only inches from her own.

"What the-?!"

At her exclamation, the face backed off a little. Her eyes focusing, Hattie found herself staring into the light blue eyes of an elf. It was one of Haldir's brothers, the one with the long scar on his cheek that now twisted up as he laughed at her reaction. Hattie flushed in frustration.

"N-not funny!" She fumed, trying to collect herself.

 _Fucking elves! I did not make it out of Moria to die from a heart attack in a treehouse!_

The elf straightened himself up, still chuckling as he walked over to Haldir. He and Legolas were talking with Aragorn, muttering something to each other in Elvish. Everyone else was already awake and packing up their belongings, the morning sun streaming through the leaves and tinting everything in gold. Hattie guessed that it would soon be time to go and that she should get ready herself, but she couldn't help but mutter about how every damn elf in this damn world seemed to be so damned bent on making her heart explode as she did.

Not only that, but her head was pounding worse than it was last night. She cursed herself for losing her first aid kit that had her pain relievers, as well as for dragging back up the memory of losing Wolf only just yesterday with it.

 _God…this morning is going to suck, isn't it?_

It seemed Hattie wasn't the only one who woke up in a bad mood though.

"I nary slept a wink! I kept have terrible nightmares of falling off this bird's nest. We hobbits do not sleep on second stories, let alone in trees!" Complained Pippin, and the other hobbits nodded. Hattie wondered if she should tell them the buildings in Lothlorien wouldn't be much better. But Haldir then addressed the group, his expression rather serious.

"A company of orcs have crossed the Nimrodel in the night. They seemed to have picked up your scent."

The Fellowship – plus Hattie – were a little worried to hear this, but from Gimli, there came a grunt of disbelief.

"I heard nothing but the night-speech of plant and stone."

 _"Uin anwar. Amin ubrie alume lasta i'orqui or i'swes."_ (I am not surprised. I nearly did not hear the orcs above the snoring) Muttered Legolas, and this sent a few chuckles through the company of elves. Aragorn refrained from laughing himself, but Gimli seemed to know that some joke had been made at his expense, and was not looking happy.

"There was something that also passed in the night that I have never seen before, quick with yellow eyes," Continued Haldir, catching Hattie's attention as he turned to Aragon, "It was not an orc. It fled as soon as I made to fire when it got too close. It seemed to be wary. Would you know of it?"

"Oh. Gollum." Hattie sighed in disappointment before Aragorn had a chance to answer Haldir. She couldn't help but fleetingly hope that Haldir had maybe spotted Wolf, but then she remembered that in the books that Gollum had followed the Fellowship into the woods of Lothlorien.

 _Great. The creature that eats babies survives through Moria, but my dog is dead. I hate this world._ Hattie thought bitterly before she noticed that everyone was looking at her. Realizing they had heard her, she hurriedly explained.

"He had followed us into Moria. He is after the Ring," She then glanced towards Frodo, and seeing him look nervous, added, "He won't attack. Not yet anyway, not while we are in a group."

This bit of information was not met well, and there were several nervous glances towards Frodo. Frodo himself looked troubled, but he managed to hold together and fiddled with the chain of his necklace. Hattie expected questions to follow but Haldir, to her surprise, bowed to her in thanks for this information. Before she could decide if she needed to bow back, Haldir continued to address the others.

"My brother, Orophin, and the others have now gone in haste back to our dwellings to warn our people and bring more reinforcements. None of the Orcs will ever return out of wood, and neither will this Gollum."

Now, this was some good news. Hattie could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from the Fellowship. She supposed it would be a bigger one for her if she didn't already know this would happen. She didn't even want to imagine the stress she would be under if they had to go through another battle. For her, she had made it through all the obstacles. Now, she only needed to get to Lothlorien and go home. It didn't matter that Wolf was gone, or that she didn't know what kind of home she'd be returning to. It would just have to be enough that she would be going home soon. The thought had become a mantra, and she refused to think beyond it.

 _Ignorance is bliss they say. And I deserve to be fucking jubilant after the shitty couple of days I've had._

"I and Rúmil shall guide you along the southern road to Lórien." Continued Haldir. Glancing towards Rúmil, the elf with the scar, Hattie caught him wink at her.

 _Oh, god, this is just like middle school._ She groaned internally, feeling her headache become worse. It would seem the elf enjoyed aggravating her. She wouldn't be surprised if he next tried to pull on her ponytail for attention or something. But it looked like she wasn't the only one whose nerves he got on, as Legolas too was glaring at the other elf.

" _Hannon lle, Haldir_." (Thank you) Aragorn thanked with a bow.

With that, the Fellowship and their two guides began their descent from the tree. Climbing up the rope ladder had been difficult for Hattie, but climbing down would have been impossible if it wasn't for Aragorn's help. He patiently helped her and the hobbits when it was clear they were too nervous to attempt it themselves after watching Gimli's own failed attempt to get down by himself that resulted in him falling the last dozen feet to the ground face first.

All safe and sound, the Fellowship collected their gear as Haldir once more came forward.

"Now, we allow no strangers to spy out the secrets of the Lorien. Few indeed are permitted even to set foot there. As was agreed, I shall here blindfold the eyes of Gimli the Dwarf."

This raised a few eyebrows among the Fellowship as they looked to Aragorn, who only nodded. Hattie though nearly snorted. How could she have forgotten this part?

 _Well, after the Balrog and Gandalf's death, I guess Tolkien felt that there should be a bit of comic relief afterward._

Gimli though was far from amused.

"If there was such an agreement, it was made without my consent!" Gimli immediately protested with a growl, "I will not walk blindfold, like a beggar or a prisoner. And I am no spy!"

"Ooh yeah. Doesn't it just feel awful being falsely accused?" Hattie couldn't help but mutter. Gimli seemed ready to turn and chew her head off when Haldir continued.

"This is our law. I am not the master of the law, and cannot set it aside."

This did little to persuade the dwarf. If anything, it did the opposite as Gimli planted his feet firmly and laid his hand on the handle of his axe. From the corner of her eye, Hattie could see Rúmil's own hand twitch towards the knife in his belt. She wondered if she should say something but then shook her head. It would all figure itself in the end without her. She had blabbered too much yesterday, but now that she had a bit more control of herself, she would try and keep herself from saying anything stupid. After all, she didn't want to mess up things any more than she already had…

"I will go forward free or back to where I am known to be a dwarf of my word," Gimli growled as if in warning.

" _Rhaich!"_ (Curses!) Swore Legolas, his impatience making his voice deepen, "A plague on dwarves and their stiff necks!"

"Better a stiff neck then a blind eye!" Gimli bit back.

"Gimli, Legolas, enough." Interrupted Aragorn before words could become blows, "If I am still to lead this Company, you must do as I bid. It is hard upon the dwarf to be thus singled out. We will all be blindfold, even Legolas. That will be best, though it will make the journey slow and dull."

Despite his diplomacy, this compromise was not met well with the others. Boromir looked suddenly very worried, but Legolas looked like Aragorn had just told him he'd look better with a beard. But Gimli suddenly burst out laughing.

"A merry troop of fools we shall look! But I will be content, if the elf here shares my blindness."

Legolas looked ready to toss the dwarf back into Nimrodel, but with a look from Aragorn, the elf seemed to bite down on whatever protest he had. Hattie could see the muscles in his jaw clench as his eyes practically burned at Gimli. Hattie couldn't help be surprised, not at his anger, but at the fact that she could tell he was angry. Normally she couldn't read him at all, so she found this expression to be rather…fascinating.

"Come Haldir, blind our eyes." Aragorn commanded. The elf nodded, approaching them with strips of cloth he had taken out when the others weren't looking. He started with the hobbits and Boromir, who surprisingly had no objections to any of this, before approaching Gimli.

"I shall claim full amends for every fall and stubbed toe, if you do not lead us well," the dwarf told Haldir in warning. Haldir tied the blind securely, and Gimli missed the elf's smirk.

"You will have no claim."

Haldir next came over towards Hattie, approaching her from behind. She freaked when she saw him lowering the blindfold before her.

"Um, sorry, hang on," Hattie panicked, flinching away from Haldir, "how long do you think we will have to wear these? Not to alarm anyone, but hallucinations are likely to happen during prolonged periods of complete visual deprivation."

Haldir lost his smirk as his brow quirked up curiously. Hattie didn't mean to hold everybody up or really argue against any of this as she knew it had to happen, but she knew she wouldn't survive. She wasn't exactly a klutz, but she was human without the benefit of the sure feet of a hobbit or the ears of an elf. She would be at the mercy of every rock and branch!

That…and something about being surrounded by darkness and helpless in a forest brought up bad memories…

 _"Come to me, little one…"_

"Just…just could someone maybe hold my hand or something? Or better yet, maybe we should have some kind of safe word for when one of us needs to stop? Like banana?" Hattie suggested as she reluctantly allowed Haldir to blind her.

" _Amin n'rangwa edanea_." (I don't understand this human) Haldir muttered under his breath. Hattie could hear something like a chuckle follow, and then Legolas's voice.

" _N'dela no'ta. Uuner uma_." (Don't worry. No one does.)

 **~o0o~**

Hours blurred as morning turned into afternoon, and while Hattie had yet to start hallucinating, she almost wished she would.

She was _so_ bored!

But more of it was that she was desperate to have anything distract her from her own thoughts. Gandalf's monologues, Boromir's hate speech, Frodo's tear-filled eyes, and Wolf's last words kept parading around in her brain, and every other second Hattie had to shake them out. She begged for Pippin or Merry to start up one of their usual silly conversations, but it had been really quiet the past couple of hours. Maybe it was the grief of Gandalf's loss, or maybe it was the strange energy of the forest around them, Hattie wasn't certain.

She herself wasn't really someone for zodiacs or auras, but this forest was definitely strange and it wasn't helping her headache any. She wondered maybe if what Gandalf told her about her being more easily affected by magic had something to do with it. While it wasn't nearly as bad as the time she touched the Ring, it felt somewhat similar.

This forest was definitely different from any that Hattie had walked through before, as even the ground was smooth and soft as if it knew she was blind. After an hour or so, Haldir let all of them walk more freely when they had the confidence, having first guided them by holding a rope which the Fellowship, plus Hattie, clung to. But even Hattie walked without worrying about breaking her ankle in half. It was almost a pleasant morning what with the sun shining on her face and the smell of wet grass around her. She might have fooled herself into thinking she was talking Wolf on a walk in a park if she tried. But at the thought, Hattie felt like smacking her head against the nearest tree. Repeatedly.

 _Stupid. He's dead. Get over it._

Hattie still couldn't prevent her face from scrunching up at the sting of tears. She didn't want to cry right now, but it was just too easy to let the tears fall. What Aragorn told her last night had been some kind of comfort, but Wolf's death was still too near for her to think about it without any kind of self-loathing.

It was her fault he was dead, leaving her all alone.

Her dog was gone, and she had no family. Maybe she had her mother, but that was a big maybe. The weight of the dead was dragging her down now, and there was nothing she could do about it. She would be all alone when she got back with no one to welcome her back. And what about college? How much time had she missed? Would she have to start the entire semester over again? How much would that set her back? Did she have savings to afford to retake a semester, or would she need to get a job? Oh, god, what if she had loans? She'd never manage to pay them off on her own. And why didn't her father text or call except for holidays or on her birthday? Didn't he love her? God, what was her mother's name? And what the hell was Hattie even doing here, in _freaking_ Middle-earth? What if Gandalf was right, and she was brought over by something that had design for her? What if Galadriel couldn't get her home? What if she could, but Hattie had to pass some kind of test? What if she failed? Oh, no, no! She had a fear of failure, there was no way she would pass! She was never going to get home!

 _Fuck, just stop! Just stop, stupid brain!_ Hattie pleaded with herself as she rubbed her eyes to prevent any tears from falling.

This was getting ridiculous. She shouldn't be panicking. Everything was going to be fine now. She survived Moria and she survived the worst possible thing she could have by losing Wolf. And here she was, still breathing and on her way home. That should be that. Going home would have to be enough for her.

Hattie tried to focus on the here and now. Haldir was leading them alongside the river, that much Hattie could tell. She could hear it murmuring at her right, along with the chirps of birds. Haldir had mentioned something about going towards the northern borders a couple of hours ago, but he gave no indication how much further they had to go.

Concentrating on one foot in front of the other, Hattie pretended that she had nothing to worry about and that her head definitely did not feel like Gimli had split it open with his axe. The headache went away for a little while after Haldir had them stop and rest for lunch, but soon enough it came back with a vengeance. The pain throbbed, sharp and heavy, generating from the back of Hattie's head. With every step she took, the worse the pain got.

 _What if...what if something doesn't want me to make it to Lothlorien? Is this the work of the voice in my dreams?_

The thought was immediately shaken from Hattie's head. Well, it was more like she couldn't think of anything when the pain drilled itself deeper. Her eyes went all starry, and she bet even without the blindfold she wouldn't be able to see a thing.

"Oh…no, no, no, no." She moaned as she felt herself begin to wobble. A few staggering steps was all she was capable of before Hattie lost all remaining sense of balance, and fell forward. She wasn't too worried about injury, as the ground beneath her was incredibly soft, but it was a bit of shock when she instead found herself being caught by a pair of arms.

Clinging to them, she thought they might belong to Aragorn as she was helped her back onto her feet. That is until she caught the scent of soft leather and cedarwood.

"Are you unwell?" Legolas asked, and Hattie felt herself freeze to have the worst confirmed. She wanted to push herself away and say she was fine, but she was far from fine. The forest was spinning.

Or, at least it would be if she wasn't blindfolded. Probably better that she was. Still, she didn't really want to be around Legolas. He made it pretty clear to her last night that he wasn't too fond of her. Then again, he didn't say he was un-fond of her either…or something like that.

"Oh, uh, sort of. Just give me a minute, and I'll be dandy as a lion." Hattie explained with a nervous laugh, hoping that Legolas would take the hint and set her down so she could rest her head between her knees and take a breather. But it seemed there would be no rest for her as instead of letting her go, she felt Legolas move an arm around her waist to help her keep moving.

Hattie wanted to protest, she really did, but any resistance she might have been able to muster was driven out of her. Her head was splitting. Seriously. Maybe she was hung over from the wine the other night? But no, she only had a sip.

With every step she took, it was like she was forced to dive deeper and deeper into some black body of water and the pressure was mounting. Her ears were ringing. She was starting to feel sick and found herself panting for air.

If she threw up on Legolas, she might as well just crawl into a hole and live there forever. It would be his fault though, for being nice to her even though he didn't like her. But if he didn't like her, then why was he helping her? Could he hear her heart beating a million miles a minute? Did he think that she knew something bad was going to happen and was about to confront her for lying again? Oh, god, she wouldn't be able to handle that, not right now, not with her head ready to implode on itself!

 _Stop! Just make this stop! God, please! I'll do anything! Just make this pain go away!_ Hattie begged whatever god or deity would listen to her. It didn't work, as instead, the pain focused itself, sharper and more intense. Legolas was practically having to drag Hattie to keep her moving forward, his arm tightening around her waist till she could almost feel the heat of his side searing her own. This was unbearable. Worse, it was embarrassing! She wanted it all to stop!

 _Fuck off! Just fuck off already! Goddamit! Get out of my head or I'll drive a spike in there myself and be done with it!_

Something on the border of her mind shifted, and suddenly Hattie found herself at the edge of her headache. She didn't want to believe it, wondering if it was too good to be true, but soon enough she found herself able to think clearly. Her ears stopped ringing, and an odd shiver took over in the absence of the headache. She half-expected that with her next step it would return, but it only lessened.

As if in response to her recovery, Hattie could feel Legolas's grip on her loosen, though she wished he wouldn't. She was exhausted and limp as a noodle.

 _God…I just want to build a blanket fort and watch The Little Mermaid and possibly curl up and die._

"What is that? I hear voices approaching." Spoke up someone behind Hattie after a few minutes.

Hattie could hear the others pause to listen, and sure enough, the sound of Elvish was coming from in front of them. Hattie breathed a sigh of relief to hear them, as well as when Legolas let go of her waist finally. Maybe he was wary of the approaching voices, or maybe he was embarrassed to be seen with her. Either way, she was glad she could try and put herself back together.

"It is my kin," Haldir announced, and Hattie could hear him leave to go address them. She and the Fellowship waited, worried what news this batch of elves brought with them. Haldir soon waylaid their fears.

"They bring me good news. The marauding orcs have been waylaid and almost all destroyed. The creature Gollum was also sighted, but it had eluded capture. It had been seen running southward along the Silverlode, away from our lands."

"Oh, that is good news!" Pippin piped up.

"Also," continued Haldir, and Hattie flinched to hear him suddenly in front of her, "they bring me a message from the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim. You are all to walk free, even the dwarf Gimli. It seems that the Lady knows who and what is each member of your Company."

 _Finally! I've had enough of this Fifty Shades of Grey bullshit!_ Hattie groaned in relief as she felt Haldir's hands working the knot of her blindfold. She tried to stay still for him, but couldn't help but fidget when the bright light of the afternoon pierced her eyes.

"Even better news!" Merry cheered.

Hattie's eyes adjusted themselves in time to see Haldir move on towards Gimli, who was already tearing at the blindfold to get it off. Must have been an elvish knot or something, because he was unsuccessful until Haldir helped him. The dwarf glared up at the elf, but Haldir smiled.

"Look on us now with friendly eyes! Look and be glad, for you are the first dwarf to behold the trees of the Naith of Lórien since Durin's Day!"

Gimli looked ready to headbutt the cheerful elf but decided to stiffly nod in thanks instead.

Hattie took the chance to look around, and she was surprised to see that the forest around them had thinned and they were now upon some ridge. There was tall grass around them and small golden flowers shaped like stars. Looking ahead she could see another hill some miles away. There was a circle of trees crowning it, and even from this distance, Hattie could see their bark was as white as snow against the blue haze of the afternoon.

"This is Caras Galadhon…" Haldir announced proudly, "the heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light."

With all of the Fellowship's eye free, they gawked and gaped at the sight in front of them. Hattie wondered if maybe the effect wasn't as great for her as it was for them, because they looked at the forest before them like it was another world. She supposed it was one of the few places left on Middle-earth that had not yet been tainted by Sauron, but it seemed to be more than that. Like something had them spellbound.

Soon enough, with the new host of elves, they marched closer to the crown of white trees.

They followed Haldir as he stepped lightly up the grass-clad slopes, the forest about them casting long green shadows. They were being led up a southern facing slope when suddenly something caught Legolas's eye.

"Tiro!" (Look!) He exclaimed, leaping away from the company to perch himself on a high rock. He was looking at something in the distance, and everyone worried he had spotted some danger until they saw Legolas smile. It almost hurt to look at him, it was so brilliant. Hattie found herself gawking.

 _Several weeks I'm with this stone-faced elf, and then all in one day I get two different emotions? I feel so spoiled._

"What is that?" Asked Sam, squinting in an attempt to see what was worth smiling about. Hattie looked too, but all she could see past the river was a flat and empty looking land. Climbing higher up the slope, she saw there was something in the distance. It was dark and dreary in shape and shadow, and Hattie remained just as confused as the others as to why it was so special.

"We're not going near there, are we?" Pippin asked fearfully. It didn't look as welcoming as the Lorien woods.

"Nay. That is Mirkwood." Haldir explained, his tone solemn, "It is a forest of dark fir, where the trees strive one against another and their branches rot and wither. We sense an evil within it. One that has taken root...and grown..."

The others listened with apprehension, but Hattie glanced at Legolas. The smile on his face was gone now, and in its place was a mask of grief. Something grabbed at her stomach, making her feel sick in a different way than before. She shook her head and looked away.

 _Oh no…no, no, I don't want feels from this. I have enough of my own thank you._

"Come," Haldir pressed, leading them back to the other elves, "We have further to go."

 **~o0o~**

The sun was sinking behind the mountains and the shadows were deepening in the woods when they made it to the crown of trees. As it became dark the elves uncovered silver lamps to guide the Fellowship by. Hattie was grateful for the light because the ground had changed and was now covered in thickets of ferns and lichen. Soon enough, they came to set of stone steps.

Leading them up, Haldir took them higher and higher up the hill. As they slowly climbed, the trees spaced out, their roots stretching out to tangle against one another as if needing each other's touch. The stone steps led from one batch of roots to the next, and soon clearings of fallen leaves and sweet grass became more common. Craning her neck back, Hattie looked up.

The trees were so high now that she couldn't make out what was silver branch or sky, and their trunks were as thick as buildings. After a while, she spotted what she hoped to see. Small edifices and bridges stretched between the branches with staircases spiraling upwards around the trunks towards them. The deeper they went, the more structures and buildings there were, tangling and confusing like a whole city fit up there. They were finally in Lorien. They had finally reached civilization.

Hattie nearly started weeping tears of joy. She had made it. She was finally safe.

Looking down, Hattie saw arbors and arches stretched over the steps now, as well as lantern posts, and stone statues of beautiful elven ladies that looked so real Hattie felt sure they would move at any moment. Moss and lichen patched itself everywhere, but grew as if placed there on purpose rather than as a sign of neglect. Other elves passed by them, many of them guards, but some looked to be regular citizens. They were all dressed so beautifully in shining dresses and tunics, and even one that looked to be a servant carrying dirty laundry was at least ten times more stoic and ethereal than any human could hope to be.

 _Ah, the sound of my self-confidence crumbling in on itself. I knew this day was missing something._

The others were looking about Lorien just as beguiled as Hattie was, but after a while Haldir led them to a set of stairs that climbed one of the trees. The other elven guards had departed a while ago, and the Fellowship followed him without hesitation. But Hattie felt unsure when she saw that, predictably, there was no railing.

 _The Lady Galadriel is gonna be up there. She's gonna send me home. This is the last ridiculously dangerous set of stairs I will ever have to climb in my life._

With a deep breath, she steadied herself and followed.

It was slow going, as the others were still looking about them in wonder. It was completely dark now, and the lights of the lanterns and homes looked like stars in the night. Hattie just wanted to pass the others all and run up the stairs, finished with the sightseeing.

Oddly, until now she had been relatively calm, but as they slowly climbed higher it seemed her heart forget how to set a rhythm.

Home, home, home. She was going home. Hattie glanced at Legolas warily, wondering if he could hear it, but he didn't appear to be paying her any attention now. Were her last words to him going to be 'dandy as a lion'? Where did she ever hear that phrase? Would she even get time to say goodbye to the others? Did she even want to bother when they all clearly hated her?

The stairs ended. Before them opened up a flat landing, like the deck of a ship. On it was a house, so large it looked like some kind of small palace. The structure was open, comprised of entangling branches so it looked like the building was grown, not built. Haldir took them inside, over a suspended walkway that had the hobbits clinging to each other in fright. They came to a stop at a set of stairs with an elaborate archway stretching above and hanging crystals arranged like chandeliers.

 _Okay, here we go…don't blow it,_ Hattie swallowed nervously.

Quickly she tried to re-braid her hair and straighten her clothes. She wanted to check to see if there was anything stuck in her teeth, but by then a bright light had appeared at the top of the stairs.

The Fellowship, either frightened or eager to see, pressed closer to one another.

A couple, shrouded in light, came down the steps in slow measure. Hand in hand, it was hard to tell who was Celeborn or Galadriel. It hardly mattered because they were both beyond beauty. The word didn't do them justice.

The Fellowship – plus Hattie – stared in awe.

The couple were clad in white, their faces keen and profound and showing no signs of age. Spotting silver hair on the one to the right, Hattie guessed that was Celeborn. He was the first to speak as the light about him and his wife finally dimmed.

"The Enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone." The elven lord's voice was solemn and majestic, and as he spoke, he looked each of his guests in the eye, "Eight there are here of those who set out from Rivendell, yet nine there were. Tell me, where is Gandalf?"

Beside him, Galadriel, with hair like liquid gold, flickered her eyes towards Aragorn. The Ranger looked up after lowering his head in a sign of respect. The two locked eyes and Hattie could tell that Galadriel was reading his mind. She began to fidget nervously.

"For I much desire to speak with him...I can no longer see him from afar," Continued Celeborn. When his eyes passed over Hattie's, she couldn't meet them. Instead, she looked towards Galadriel.

The elven lady was fairer than her husband, but it was like comparing silver to gold. Both were lovely, but simply not equal in appeal. Her voice as she spoke was more than majestic; it was flowing magic.

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow."

Aragorn nodded in confirmation as Celeborn turned to the Ranger and then his wife. He did not look very surprised, but same as his wife, there was now a sad knowing in his eyes.

"He was taken by both Shadow and Flame: a Balrog of Morgoth." Spoke up Legolas, his voice strained with the anguish of the memory, "For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

Hattie felt sick. So, Legolas _did_ blame her...or was he saying that simply because that was part of the script? Either way, Hattie didn't like it.

Galadriel shook her head however.

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his whole purpose..."

Hearing this, a few members of the Fellowship glanced over at Hattie. They looked rather shocked, Boromir most of all. Hattie managed to keep her face as stern as possible and shrugged, but on the inside, she wanted to laugh in his face.

 _Ha! I told you!_

"Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dum fill your heart, Gimli, son of Gloin." Galadriel continued, looking towards the crestfallen dwarf, "For the world has grown full of peril. And in all lands, love is now mingled with grief."

Gimli looked up, near to tears, and stared at the Lady like she was an angel. She smiled at him sweetly before looking towards Boromir. The Prince-Steward swallowed dryly, finding it hard to meet her eye. A moment of silence passed between the two of them, and ended with Boromir looking away. Hattie couldn't believe what she was seeing when the man's shoulders shook and he began to weep. Any feeling of gloating she had was immediately withered.

"What now becomes of this Fellowship?" Celeborn asked, "Without Gandalf, hope is lost."

The Lady Galadriel was now testing the members of the Fellowship on their faith to the quest. Hattie remembered from the book that each of the Fellowship spoke of hearing her voice in their head, and where showed visions to test them. While Hattie doubted that Galadriel would bother trying to tempt her, Hattie still had to wonder what Galaldriel might show her. Would she have to pass a test of some sort just to get home? What if she failed? Hattie dreaded finding out, but prepared herself as best she could.

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all." Galadriel warned, continuing to stare down each of the Fellowship. Hattie, as nervous as she was, tried to catch Galadriel's eye. Any second now, Hattie expected to hear the Lady's cryptic voice in her head. But it seemed Lady Galadriel was looking at everyone _but_ Hattie.

"Yet hope remains while the company is true." Galadriel said this as she looked at Sam, and the Lady smiled brightly at the shy hobbit before turning to Frodo, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight, you will sleep in peace."

While Galadriel said this, Hattie continued to wait. She didn't want to interrupt Galadriel's mind talk with Frodo. Galadriel probably just wanted to wait until she and her husband were done talking to the Fellowship, then she would address Hattie. But no, when Galadriel finished staring at Frodo, Celeborn lifted his hand.

At the signal, Haldir stepped forward and bowed to the Lord and Lady before gesturing for the Fellowship to follow. They all began to move towards the exist, but Hattie remained frozen in panic. She looked at the Fellowship, and then at the Lord and Lady as they also turned around and prepared to leave.

 _Wait, no, what about me? Home! I have to get home!_

Realizing there was nothing for it, Hattie stepped closer to the stairs.

"E-excuse me? I'm sorry, but…" Hattie's voice was quiet even as it echoed in the palace, but it became a shriveled whisper when Celeborn glanced back at her. She felt like a bug under a microscope. Not wanting to be rude, Hattie attempted the head bob thing Aragorn had done earlier.

Trying to summon her nerve, Hattie quickly tried to think what would be the politest way to talk to royal elves, when Galadriel finally met her eye.

Her eyes were as grey as an evening star, and Hattie got a headache just looking at her. Maybe she was just too beautiful to look at head on? But then, Hattie felt there was something off about Galadriel. The Lady looked...tired.

 _Oh my god, I can't believe I just thought that. She's the most beautiful woman in the whole of Middle-earth, so what if she has bags under her eyes? I'm sorry! Please forgive me!_

If Galadriel heard any of Hattie's panicked thoughts, she did not show it.

"Gandalf said that you could help me. See, I was lost, and then this voice–" Hattie tried to begin, but Celeborn swiftly cut her off.

"We know what you wish to ask, _Aiano en i'Eleni_. (Stranger of the Stars). No doubt you have many questions, and rightly so. Yet…" Celeborn hesitated, expression becoming stern, "We cannot grant you audience, at least, not for the moment. We ask that you allow us time to prepare. In a few days' time, you will have answers, and we will do what must be done."

Hattie blinked, trying to process this. How did they know what she wanted? Did Galadriel already read her mind? Well, that cut out the awkward conversation at least.

But what did they need to prepare for? Hattie didn't want to wait around another few days in Middle-earth! Hell, she didn't want to spend another minute here! Hattie wanted to protest but the Lord was already leading the Lady away. Hattie wanted to scream at them to stop, but she could only manage a mumbled, "Thank you."

And like that, Celeborn and Galadriel were gone. Hattie would have to wait. She didn't know how long and she didn't know why. But it looked like she had no choice.

Still attempting to understand what the hell went wrong, Hattie slowly came over to the Fellowship. She didn't realize they were all looking at her until Aragorn spoke up, making her flinch.

"Miss O'Connor? What business do you have with the Lord and Lady?"

Hattie gulped under their stares. Most of them were looking at her in some sort of wonder as if she had faced a three-headed dragon and lived to tell the tale. Aragorn seemed suspicious though, and Legolas...well, his glare nearly burned a hole in her forehead. Had she broken some sacred elven rule by speaking without a proper introduction or something?

"I…um, just seer things." Hattie tried to explain, but at Aragorn's scrutinizing look she hurriedly added, "I think Lady Galadriel can help me sort some things out. About the future and stuff. It's...not what I expected it to be."

Aragorn frowned and looked ready to press for more when Haldir called him.

 _"Estel."_

Turning, the others saw that there was now an elf-maid waiting patiently beside Haldir. Not wishing to keep them waiting, Aragorn decided to put off his questions until later. Going over to Haldir's side, Aragorn bowed to the elf-maid while Haldir made introductions.

"This is Glavradis. She will lead you to your accommodations." Here, Haldir bowed as well, "Now, if you please, I will take my leave. My brother and I are needed back on the borders."

Aragorn said goodbye Haldir in elvish before the latter parted. In a second, he was out of sight, and the elf maid, Glavradis, curtsied to the rest of the Fellowship

"This way, please." She requested in a voice as sweet as honey. She turned for the stairs that led down from the palace, and the Fellowship - plus Hattie - followed. The elf lady moved quickly, and before Hattie realized it, they were on the forest floor again. Hattie tried to pay attention to her surroundings, thinking maybe it would be good to know the way back to the palace, but she couldn't get her mind to focus.

She would have to wait a few days. What the hell did that even mean? Celeborn said she would have her answers, but if they knew what she wanted, then they knew that Hattie just wanted to go home. Screw answers, she wanted out of here already. But no, she would have to wait a few days while they prepared or whatever. What did a few even mean? Two days? Three?! Hattie didn't want to wait three days!

It was awkward enough for her as it was with the Fellowship, but now she was going to have to pretend that everything was fine when everything was not fine! What if they asked her more questions? What if they grew suspicious of her again? What if it wasn't possible for Galadriel to get her home and she was just stalling? What if Galadriel wanted her to stay with the Fellowship until the end, like Gandalf? What if- _Would he just cut it out already?!_

Hattie couldn't take it and glanced over at the elf that had been glaring at her this whole time.

Legolas's expression was unreadable, but his blue eyes burned into hers and Hattie felt certain he was hearing every panicked thought that had been running through her head. Why was it that Hattie didn't feel a thing when Galadriel read her mind, and yet Legolas could make her squirm as if her soul was being laid out bare? He didn't even have mind-reading powers!

 _God! Blink dammit! Just blink, would you?!_

After an age, Legolas finally turned away when Aragorn started to whisper something to him. Hattie felt like she had broken the surface of a deep lake and gulped for air. Before she could begin to wonder what the hell that had been about, the elf-maid spoke.

"This is where you will stay. May you find comfort and reprieve beside the fountain and beneath the silver roots."

Hattie looked around to notice that they were now in a small clearing with a fountain in the center. The earth was lowered, exposing so much of the thick roots of one nearby tree so that even Legolas would have been able to stand beneath them. Stretching between the roots was silk coverings and hanging lanterns with soft beds laid beneath them in an odd formation. But at the sight of actual pillows, many of the Fellowship looked ready to weep for joy.

"I count only eight beds. Are we having to share?" Pippin asked after a moment. The others stopped their unpacking and, sure enough, there were only eight.

"No," Glavradis laughed, "The maiden will be given private quarters. The Lady Galadriel has arranged so."

Hattie wondered who the elf lady was talking about when it dawned on her that she was 'the maiden'. She gushed at being singled out and didn't know how to respond. She glanced at Aragorn, hoping for some direction. Seeing her hesitation, Aragorn gently patted Hattie's shoulder.

"Go. It would be rude to refuse the Lady's orders."

"Yeah, okay. It's just...never mind." Hattie sighed to herself. She was too tired, too confused, and too upset to think clearly. She turned to face Glavradis and attempted to smile politely.

"Lead the way I guess."

Glavradis nodded, and without another word turned and made for a path that left the clearing. Hattie managed to give some of the hobbits a small wave before the Fellowship was out of her view.

Hattie started to wring her hands. This would be the first night she spent away from the Fellowship in several weeks. While she was looking forward to some time alone...she actually wasn't certain if that would be the best thing for her right now.

Glavradis led Hattie down the path as it twisted and turned between the great trees. They seemed to be going away from the palace, which Hattie figured was at the center of Lorien, and more towards the outskirts. Hattie wanted to ask why, when Glavradis came to the base of a large tree. Once more, Hattie had to climb a precarious set of stairs, regretting every bad decision that led to this torture.

All her reservations were put aside however as the stairs led to a small, quaint hut. It seemed to have been built from one large off shooting branch of the tree it was perched on, a tangle of delicate woodwork and smooth bark. It strangely looked like a fairytale cottage, and the sentimental child in Hattie practically cooed.

 _I always did want my very own treehouse…_

The adult in Hattie appreciated what lay inside more though. Opening the door for her, Glavradis revealed a small world of luxury. There was a bed, plush and soft, in one corner and in the opposite a vanity table and dresser. It was all lovely and lit by various candles, but Hattie stopped in surprise to see another elven woman waiting inside. She was dressed in silver, her hair nearly as light and long as Galadriel's, and it went without saying she was drop dead beautiful.

"This is Ólerydwen, my mother," Glavradis explained, and the older elven woman curtsied to Hattie, "She is one of Lady Galadriel's ladies-in-waiting. She will be attending to your every need, Lady O'Connor."

Hattie's eyes widened. Lady Galadriel's own personal lady-in-waiting? What exactly did Hattie do in the five seconds she actually spoke to the Lady of Light to deserve this kind of special treatment? Where the members of the Fellowship getting butlers or something?

Despite the tremendous honor Hattie guessed this was, it didn't seem that Ólerydwen herself was pleased with this arrangement. Her lips were pulled down into a distasteful frown as she looked Hattie over.

"Yes, thank you my daughter. You may leave now," Ólerydwen dismissed her daughter rather coldly. Glavradis kept her polite smile as she curtsied and took her leave, closing the door behind her.

Silence followed, and Hattie squirmed like a worm on a hook. It wasn't hard to get the impression that Ólerydwen was not happy being demoted to attending to Hattie. But Hattie wasn't sure if that was because Hattie herself was a human, a stranger, or maybe something more personal.

"I expect you are tried, but you will be taking a bath before you dare touch the sheets. Follow me." Ólerydwen said sharply, making Hattie jump. The elven woman walked over to a door Hattie had not noticed before, and when she opened it a billow of scented steam escaped into the room.

"Leave your effects and clothes there," Ólerydwen pointed behind Hattie, "Whatever you desired to have washed, place it in the basket."

Hattie, nervously, assumed this meant she was supposed to strip down. Hattie sympathized with Ólerydwen in that she didn't want to trample her muddied boots on the rug, but still, the lady could ask a bit more nicely. Hattie did as she was asked however, happy that there was a robe on a nearby chair that she could slip into. Despite feeling suddenly shy – and self-conscious – Hattie kept her front facing the elf, not wanting to show her the elvish writing on her back. That in particular felt kind of…intimate.

"In the basket, human." Ólerydwen snipped when Hattie accidentally left a sock on the floor.

 _Do I just have a natural talent for pissing off elves?_

"S-sorry." Hattie picked it up, and then finally entered the other room. She nearly gasped.

There, perched in the middle of the small off-chamber, was a bath. It was small and rounded, placed low into the ground so that all she needed to do was step into it, but it was perfect. There was already scented and steaming water sloshing about inside of it, beckoning Hattie.

"This is…this is so beautiful…"

Ólerydwen narrowed her eyes and leaned in close to Hattie.

"Human, are you crying?"

"N-no." Hattie said, quickly scrunching up her face to try and control her sniffling.

"I will place all appropriate soaps and hair oils within your reach as soon as you enter the bath. Should you wish for aid, I will attend to your hair." Ólerydwen offered, but by the dislike in her voice it was clear to Hattie she didn't want to touch her hair with a ten-foot pole, so Hattie shook her head.

Without a second to lose, Hattie slipped off the robe and slide into the bath. She almost broke then and there. The temperature was perfect! Immediately, all her muscles sang out in joy and Hattie nearly began bawling. She grabbed at the vials of soap and a sponge the moment Ólerydwen set them within reach. Immediately she began to scrub every inch of herself.

"If you are able to attend yourself, I shall leave and bring you a light meal for your supper. I shall place it by the bed so as not to disturb you. After you eat, you may rest. I shall wake you in the morning in time to dress for the first day's meal." Ólerydwen informed her, and Hattie tried to smile.

"Oh. Thank you."

With that, Ólerydwen left without another word. Hattie was glad she was gone, seeing as how the woman clearly disliked her. But Hattie hardly cared, not when she had so much work to do.

Hattie kept on scrubbing and scrubbing until her skin was red. Then she moved onto her hair. There was nothing that looked like shampoo among the vials, but Hattie didn't feel like leaving the bath to grab hers from her bag. Instead she tried some kind of oil that smelled like roses. Oddly, the oil was able to get out all the dirt in her hair, and left a glossy shine behind which she combed through with her fingers until there wasn't a single tangle.

 _Ah…this is paradise…_

Hattie remained in the bath until the water had gone tepid and she was all pruney. Her muscles were relaxed for the first time in ages, and Hattie felt strangely weak. It took all she had to heave herself out of the water and dry off with a towel. Wrapping her hair in one, Hattie spotting a chamber pot in the corner veiled by a screen. Well, paradise couldn't be perfect, but Hattie was glad she didn't have to hide behind bushes any more when nature called.

Coming out of the bathroom, Hattie spotted a nightgown draped across the bed and, true to Ólerydwen's word, a tray on the bedside table. On it was several plates of fruit, nuts, cheese, and bread. Hattie assumed this is what the elven lady meant by a light meal, but Hattie was really sick of eating nuts. Besides, what about Wolf? He needed something more substantial, but Hattie wasn't too certain about asking-

Hattie shook her head. It was still so natural for her to think about Wolf. Even now, knowing he was gone, she imagined how he would have no doubt tried to whine and beg to sleep on the bed with her. This brought a fresh sting of tears to her eyes, ones that were not so happy as before. And try and she might push them off again, Hattie needed to cry. She could tell.

So, blowing out the candles, Hattie slipped on the nightgown and settled into bed.

 _A few days…I just have to put up with this for a few more days and then I'll be gone._

Hattie kept repeating this to herself. She had hoped the moment she met Lady Galadriel, all her problems would be solved. Hattie hadn't wanted to think of the possibility of the Lady not being able to help her, but she also didn't consider that perhaps it would take time for the Lady to grant Hattie's wish. Well, in that case, Hattie had no real choice but to wait.

Could she though? The pain of losing Wolf had been hard enough, but to now have to continue pretending around the Fellowship…that was going to be difficult. Hattie shifted under the blanket, lost in the comfort of it, but still her mind reeled with the shock of the last forty-eight hours. So much had changed, and none of it for the better.

 _Oh, suck it up you big baby,_ Hattie quietly sniffled.

This is what she wanted. This is what she had been waiting for since she got lost in this stupid fantasy world. A bed, a bath, food, and safety. Honestly, that she had gotten this far with all her limbs was more than she probably deserved. Lord Celeborn said that he and his wife would help her. They would give her answers. All she needed to do was wait a few more days. In all honesty, that wasn't much for what she was getting in return. And no, it wasn't how she imagined it would be, especially with Wolf now gone, but Hattie was going home.

So…Hattie would wait. She would wait and not say anything more stupid than she already had. She would be nice to everyone, not make waves, and would appreciate her limited time left in this hellhole of a world. Maybe she could even fit in a bit of sightseeing of Lothlorien to cheer her up. She would be going home soon, and that was all that mattered. Not anything Gandalf said, not the hate of suspicion of her heroes, and not the uncertainty of what might be waiting for her when she returned.

She was going home, and that would just have to be enough. It would have to be. And Hattie repeated this to herself until she was able to quiet the worries and fears burrowing in her.

Sleep did not come easily though. The truth was…this was the first time Hattie had even slept alone. As far as she could remember, at any rate. Wolf had always slept in her room or on her bed. While they traveled, he was never more than an inch away from her all through the night. Hattie could almost smell his wet fur even now.

But, more than that, Hattie found herself missing the others. She had grown used to the snores of Gimli and the whispering of the hobbits, and the room was too quiet without them. And, though she would never admit it, she especially missed the soft humming of a certain elf…

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Well, that was a brief meeting with Galadriel, and it seems that Hattie now has no choice but to wait to go home. Of course, we know better (ah, my poor OC, the things I put her through).

Speaking of, a few of you have commented how...well, how depressing the story has gotten lately. And that is a fair statement, to be sure. Some of you also say that Hattie is rather selfish, cowardly, and immature especially in comparison to Legolas. Again, that's fair. It seems though that most of you agree that these flaws are what make Hattie feel like she is reacting like how a normal person would in these kinds of situations. This makes me incredibly happy, as that was the point of Hattie in the first place when I thought about what kind of OC I wanted in LOTR. I didn't want a badass or someone who always had a snarky comment at the ready, but someone awkward and uncertain of herself to a max. And that's why Wolf had to leave the story. Hattie now doesn't have her support system anymore and will have to find strength (and eventually hope) in something else. Will that something else be Galadriel? Gandalf? Wolf returning maybe? Or Legolas? Herself? We'll find out eventually, but once Hattie finds it, she will grow as a character.

So...yeah, the story is going to be depressing for a bit because Hattie is depressed. Things will get worse before they start to get better, and just when Hattie will actually start to find happiness again, guess what? I will fucking rip the rug right out from under her again and again because I am a drama queen and I feed off of the anguish of my characters and readers. Sure, there will be cute hobbit scenes and a slowmance with Legolas, but in the meantime, I guess you all are going to have to put up with me and my need for cliche angst. And it's fair if that's not what you want to read, but it's what I'm going to write. I'm not writing this as some passive aggressive message, but to maybe clarify my intentions with this fic. I love drama. I love angst. And I hope you all like it too, but it's okay if you don't.

Anyway, long rant there. Sorry. Please join Hattie in the next chapter as she tries to smooth over some of the damage she has done. Not wanting to leave without making a few amends, Hattie ends up having the strangest heart to heart she's ever had. And there will be lots of paragraphs devoted to the pretty dresses that Hattie will be getting to wear (I am a freak for medieval fashion, apologizes now for what I am about to do).


	14. Four Hobbits and a Funeral

**Chapter 14; Four Hobbits and a Funeral:**

Hello, dearies! I am so happy you guys have forgiven me for my absence, and as a treat, I have this next chapter up a little earlier than I intended. I am also glad that you are all up for the drama that I have planned and are as eager to see Hattie suffer as I am. Speaking of drama, this chapter is more focused on Hattie and her shaky relationship with most of the Fellowship members, and so not very action packed. But this is Lothlorien after all, the Fellowship are supposed to be taking a break. And trust me, everything here builds up to some fantastic things later on. Plus, we get a lot more Legolas in this chapter, which I know we all love 😊

Anyway, read on darlings, and please enjoy!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

"Good morrow, _Aiano en i'Eleni._ " (Stranger of the Stars)

Hattie, from beneath a pile of blankets and pillows, shifted a few aside to see the elf woman from the night before march through the door.

"Hmph," Hattie grunted, not yet ready for human speech.

She barely slept. Perhaps an hour or two here or there, but they were unpleasantly plagued by the same nightmare she had been having for several weeks now. After a while, she just gave up and built herself a fortress of comfort in which she spaced out back and forth between exhaustion and cripplingly loneliness as she cried about Wolf, in between which Hattie entertained herself by trying to remember her favorite Disney movies. She had been in the middle of her rendition of The Lion King when the elf walked in.

"Good morning...uh, Olay-win?" Hattie slurred as she sat up and scratched the back of her head only to immediately frown. Her hair was matted from all of her tossing and turning in the night when it had still been wet.

 _God, my kingdom for some leave in conditioner._

Hattie was glad to find that at the very least there weren't any traces of yesterday's splitting headache leftover. Maybe it had just been a stress migraine.

" _Ólerydwen_ , human." The elf, now standing at the end of Hattie's bed, enunciated peevishly, "And this is Glavradis' younger sister and my second daughter, Hinnorneth."

The woman moved aside to reveal another elf, a young girl. If she were human, she'd probably be around fifteen, with a very rounded face by elvish standards and long gold hair to match her mother's. She was holding some kind of lilac-colored silk that rippled to the floor when she meekly curtsied, not saying a word.

"She does not know Common Tongue," Ólerydwen explained.

Hattie nodded, attempting her best friendly smile at the shy elf, but the girl seemed to refuse to meet Hattie's eyes.

"Olay-ride-when and Heen-nor-neth. Got it."

 _Yeesh, I'm gonna injure myself trying to pronounce those names. Why can't anyone here just be called Susan or Bob or something?_

"Come. You and the others of your Fellowship are to break your fast with the Lord and Lady in welcome. We are to dress you."

"O-oh?" Hattie balked, "Right now?"

Hattie's heart picked up a beat or two in excitement. Were Celeborn and Galadriel ready to send her home? Probably not seeing as how Fellowship was going to be there. Still, it would be a chance for more answers, or maybe even get a better time frame of when she would actually be going home, so Hattie slid herself out of bed. The moment she did, Ólerydwen grabbed the hem of her nightgown. Without so much as a warning, the elf lifted up.

"Whoa! Hey, wait!" Hattie protested, trying and failing to bring the nightgown back down, "What are you-?!"

"Hush. I am changing you."

"Ever hear of consent?! This is not okay!"

 _"Taitë an winimo!_ " (Such a baby!) Ólerydwen muttered as she, being far stronger, finally had the nightgown in her arms before folding and setting it aside. Hattie had no choice but to stand there, naked except for her locket. Hinnorneth giggled, whether at what her mother had said or Hattie's attempts to cover her exposed parts it wasn't certain, as she came over to drape the silk over the back of the chair by the vanity. Now behind Hattie, the girl's jaw dropped at the sight.

 _"Emig, re an Eldarin rhach!"_ (Mommy, she has an Elvish curse!) She practically screeched, making Hattie flinch when elf then pointed at her back. Hattie craned her neck, expecting a spider or some unsightly mole, but she couldn't see anything except for-

 _Oh, right,_ Hattie groaned, _that._

"Mmh?" Ólerydwen only made a sound of disinterest, having turned to grab something out of the dresser nearby. Seeing her daughter's horrified expression however, Ólerydwen relented and came over to look before Hattie could turn away from her.

 _"Ed' Eru!"_ (By God!)

Before Hattie knew it, Ólerydwen grabbed her shoulders to keep her still to inspect the tattoo on her back. Already beyond mortification, Hattie was ready to leap from the nearby window when she felt a hand trace over the elvish letters on her back. Gasping when they didn't smear, Ólerydwen spun Hattie around to face her.

"Where did you get that, human? What even is _that?_ " The elf woman asked accusingly. Hattie shook her head in panic.

"I don't know!"

"You…you do not know?" Ólerydwen's expression fell into disbelief. Hattie, completely unprepared for this conversation, blurted out something as close to the truth as she dared.

"I woke up with it one day. It's…it's just a tattoo." She tried to downplay as if it wasn't that big of a deal. Well, it wasn't. It _was_ just a tattoo. She just didn't remember getting it. She was not, as Gandalf had once said, branded by whatever force had compelled her to Middle-earth. Because that is a stupid ass explanation with horrific implications that Hattie had elected to ignore.

Seeing how flustered the human girl was, Ólerydwen lessened her grip to again look at the tattoo.

"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost." She slowly recited in Common.

"The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost." Hattie continued, finishing the first verse.

For a split second she was surprised at herself for knowing it, but in all honestly who didn't know it? Hattie was probably just that big of a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien to have made the drunk decision to get a full back tattoo, forever condemning her as a nerd.

"It's part of a poem that's popular where I'm from," Hattie tried to explain to the elves, "It's nothing bad or anything."

 _I think,_ Hattie finished in her head. Neither of the elves acknowledged what she said, but Hattie could hear the quiet muttering of elvish from the pair of them.

 _"Du lye kwentra i'Brennil?"_ (Should we tell the Lady?) Asked the daughter. From the corner of her eye, Hattie could see Ólerydwen nod.

 _"Nëa lye naa karina sí."_ (Once we are finished here.) Ólerydwen groaned then, as if the sight of the tattoo made her ill, " _Ta naa san drû. Taig immo flâd."_ (It is so barbaric. Marking one's skin.)

For the first time since entering the room, the daughter smiled, looking at Hattie as if she was suddenly a lot more interesting.

 _"Amin nowa ta naa netya. Sui an emma."_ (I think it is pretty. Like a painting.)

"Not to interrupt your conversation or anything, but um, I'm starting to get _really_ chilly here," Hattie stressed, gesturing to her naked and now shivering body.

 _God…how many more times will I be subjected to being naked before elves?_

"Our apologies," Ólerydwen offered with a slight bow of her head, "We have never seen such markings before, they are strange to us. We shall have to make certain it remains covered so that no offense is given to others."

Hattie wondered what kind of offense could be given from just a tattoo, but decided to keep her question to herself as Ólerydwen went back over to the dresser. From one of the drawers, she pulled out something made of white linen, which when she unfolded revealed itself to be a chemise. The material was rather gauzy in feel as Ólerydwen lifted it over Hattie's head, directing her arms into the sleeves. Hattie was disappointed to find it was see-through, but before she could wonder if this was it, Ólerydwen handed her something that looked like linen boxer shorts with drawstrings.

 _Oh, thank god. Underwear._

Hattie happily slipped on the shorts, remembering they were called braies, as Hinnorneth picked back up the thing of dusky lilac silk she had brought in.

It turned out to be a dress, one that Hattie doubted would fit her seeing how slender its shape was. Nevertheless, Hinnorneth and her mother gathered the material up and slipped it over Hattie's head. The material practically washed over her body, falling just at her ankles when it reached its length. It was incredibly soft against her skin, with tight fitted sleeves and a wide neckline that exposed her collar bones and shoulders.

"Mmh," Ólerydwen hummed in disappointment when the topmost of Hattie's tattoo was left exposed, "I wish we had known of your ink prior, for then I would not have chosen this style. This dress was Hinnorneth's, but she has outgrown it so I thought it would do, even if your…"

Ólerydwen, not so subtly, gestured to Hattie's pronounced hips which the silk material clung too.

 _Careful._ Hattie warned the elf with a glare.

"...curvature," Ólerydwen decided on tactfully, "is more exaggerated. But it will have to do I suppose. Perhaps if we style your hair well, we might cover the rest of the markings."

Hattie nodded, knowing it was probably for the best. It had been embarrassing enough when Legolas had seen the tattoo, and this experience wasn't any less humiliating. Hopefully, the worst was over though, even if Hattie felt stiff in the dress. It was simply too extravagant. But then Ólerydwen tightened the corset laces at the back it, and all the air in Hattie was forced out, making it a thousand times worse.

"That's...that's a bit tight." Ólerydwen paid no attention to her protest, and Hattie suddenly began to feel overwhelmed, "Why don't I just wear my own things? Or maybe a tunic and pants?"

"If you so wish, I will fetch such things for you. But for this meal and any time you spend in the presence of the Lord and Lady, you _will_ be presentable." Ólerydwen explained, but Hattie could hardly miss the threat in her tone.

"Yeah, sure. It is much more appropriate for me to suffer a lack of oxygen to the brain than be comfortable."

"If it keeps you from talking, then I have no objections," Ólerydwen replied without missing a beat.

 _I'd hate to think this...but she's a real snit, isn't she?_

Hattie was in the process of attempting to come up with a retort when Hinnorneth directed her to sit before the vanity. Immediately Hattie saw she had bigger problems on her hands than an elf with an attitude.

"Oh…oh no." She moaned. It was the first time she had been in front of such a large and well-lit mirror in weeks, and what it showed wasn't pretty. Well, it wasn't so bad either, but Hattie couldn't get over how different she looked.

Despite Ólerydwen's remark, Hattie was upset to see that she had actually lost weight, especially in her cheeks. Days of hardtack and running for your life would do that. And her hair, while a matted mess, was also a whole lot longer. Hattie's bangs in particular now needed to be swept to the side to keep out of her eyes, but all of this was at least somewhat fixable. The star-shaped mark on her forehead, while somewhat faded and pronounced, seemed it would take a few more weeks to fade into a smaller scar. Her nose was nearly healed but still colored with an obvious bruise. All in all, it was a mess that Ólerydwen and her daughter tried to improve by brushing her hair out to give it some semblance of neatness.

Oddly enough though, Hattie was surprised to see she was as pale as ever. Often times the number of freckles on her face and body would exponentially increase with such prolonged sun exposure, but no, Hattie's skin looked the same. She didn't even have a pimple, which was a miracle considering how infrequently she was able to wash. There were, however, dark circles beneath her eyes, but that was hardly surprising seeing as how she spent half the night trying to remember the lyrics to Hakuna Matata.

"Okay, this calls for a little intervention," Hattie muttered to herself as she reached for her things. Last night hadn't been entirely wasted. Hattie had, at some point, gotten up to lay out her things and take stock of what she had left. Most of it she put back, but she dumped what little makeup she had by the vanity. And if she was going to go before the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien again, she would do so with at least a little bit of concealer and mascara.

"Enough. That will have to do." Announced Ólerydwen after a while, looking somewhat pleased with the results. Hattie supposed she did look decent enough for high elf company but felt a queasiness build up below her stomach when Ólerydwen ushered her towards the door.

"Come, or we shall be late."

"Y-yeah," Hattie answered distractedly when saw an elven guard with a sword at his side by the door. He nodded to the Ólerydwen as she passed, ignoring Hattie's questioning stare. Soon enough she was distracted by the staircase before her. It was a long way down, and her dress was just at the right length for tripping. Luckily Hattie didn't have any shoes to worry about, seeing as how being barefoot was apparently the style here in Lothlorien.

With Hinnorneth staying behind with the guard to clean the room and make the bed, Hattie was led by Ólerydwen down the path that her elder daughter had taken the night before. This time Hattie paid more attention to her surroundings, wondering if she would ever manage to find her way back on her own if necessary.

 _That would be a big fat no,_ Hattie decided after the fifth turn.

As they neared to the center of the city, Hattie couldn't help but continue to feel out of place. Not only in her dress but also in her appearance in general. Every time the pair of them passed another elf, they would practically stop and stare at Hattie. She remembered Aragorn telling her something about how the elves found her freckles to be strange. Maybe it was that? It could also be as simple as a human being in Lothlorien since the elves here hadn't had dealings with strangers in a long time. Still, Hattie kept getting an eerie feeling whenever an elf's eyes widened at the sight of her.

Eventually, after too many turns, Ólerydwen had led Hattie to some sort of clearing within a crown of trees. Perhaps it was the morning light, or the trees themselves, but everything seemed to have a golden hew. In the middle was a table with ornate chairs enough for a dozen and a half people, and just as many elves flittering about setting the table.

Looking around, Hattie wondered if Ólerydwen brought her over early, but Ólerydwen didn't seem to care, as she promptly signaled to Hattie to stay put before leaving her without another word.

 _Okay. That does it. That woman is officially on my shit list. Her and that one girl from seventh grade I had a group project with. That A+ had been all my doing._

Hattie, thankfully, didn't have to awkwardly stand there alone for long. From another entrance into the clearing came Glavradis, with the Fellowship following after her.

They looked for all the world reborn, all bathed and well rested. Most of them seemed to be wearing their own things, simply washed and ironed. Aragorn and Boromir were out of their armor and leathers though, each sporting darkly colored shirts and jerkins. The only one who looked astonishingly different was Legolas. He wore an embroidered tunic of shimmering satin with silver clasps and grey trousers, looking far more annoyingly ethereal and elegant than usual.

 _Damn it, what gives him the right to look so gorgeous?_ Hattie huffed to herself before she waved over at Pippin and Merry.

"Hey, guys. How'd you sleep?" She asked, happy to see them. The hobbits only frowned at Hattie though, looking confused at her greeting.

"I'm sorry miss, but do we- _Bombadil's beard!_ " Pippin shouted, causing everyone to turn towards the three of them.

"Oh, god, what is it?!" Hattie panicked, her hands reaching for the back of her neck. The tattoo was covered though, so she didn't understand what had Pippin so flustered.

"Is that _you_ , Miss Hattie?" Merry asked, sounding suspicious.

"Yeah! Who else would it be?"

"Apologies!" He started before shrugging and gesturing to her dress, "It's just, well, y-you don't look..."

He lost whatever words he was going to say then, so Pippin finished for him.

"You don't look like your usual self! It is nice! Different!"

"…thanks?" Hattie muttered with a quirked brow, not really certain if that was a compliment or not. Glancing away she could see some of the other members of the Fellowship staring too, making her feel even more agitated. It didn't help when Aragorn came over to her, with Legolas close behind him.

"You look well, Miss O'Connor. I trust you slept well too?" The Ranger asked politely.

"Yeah," She casually lied before shrugging, "Though, truth be told, I kind of missed Gimli's snores."

Aragorn chuckled, but the dwarf on the other side of the table threw Hattie a dirty look.

"And your business with Lady Galadriel?" Aragorn pressed, "Any news on when you shall meet to discuss your 'seer things'?"

"N-no." Hattie balked, not ready for that question. It seems he wasn't about to forget about Hattie's short chat with Celeborn last night. It would probably be better to answer at least somewhat truthfully, especially seeing as how Legolas was watching her keenly. She accidentally caught his eye, and he nodded in greeting, but it was somewhat aloof.

"Look, just so you all know, my business with Lady Galadriel has to do with my, uh, homeland, and not the Fellowship. So you can relax." Hattie said with a smile, hoping that would be enough. Aragorn's expression fell into concern however.

"Your homeland? Is there trouble there?"

"You can say that," Hattie nearly laughed, but quickly backpedaled, "But look, it's not your problem, so don't worry about it. It's just family things."

Aragorn was still frowning, but given how unconcerned Hattie pretended to be, he must have realized her word would have to be enough for now. He nodded and walked away. Legolas lingering just a moment longer, his eyes darting up and down her dress, before following Aragorn over towards the head of the table. Hattie sighed, hoping the elf hadn't caught the way her heart felt like it was going to flatline. Honestly, those two probably didn't trust her as far as they could throw her, but at least they didn't seem to outright hate her like Boromir or Gimli. Still, that didn't make her feel any better.

Soon other elves joined the clearing, each dressed as finely as Legolas. Following Aragorn's lead, Hattie and the other Fellowship members took their seats. They seemed to be waiting for one more person seeing as how the table at the head of the table was empty, but soon enough he arrived.

Lord Celeborn's appearance did not diminish in the morning light. If anything, Hattie would say it complimented him, giving his hair a halo of color as if he was the dawn itself. All made to stand for his entrance, but he gestured for them to sit with a smile.

"Friends and Fellowship, welcome," He greeted as he took his place at the table, near to Aragorn and the other elves, "May this first meal among us be one of welcome and respite from your past plights, and one of balm and refreshment for the journey still yet ahead. My wife sends her regrets for being unable to attend, but in her absence, I shall offer you any council and company you may have need of."

Hattie, at the opposite end of the table with the hobbits, frowned. Galadriel wouldn't be coming? It seemed strange, especially since they had just seen her last night and she looked fine. Hattie had so many questions she wanted to ask, she hoped Celeborn would be willing to answer them. But that seemed like it was going to have to wait, as Celeborn then clapped. At the command the elves from before that had been setting the table appeared once more, this time carrying platers of food.

"Oh, in the name of Took, is that jam?" Pippin whimpered happily, and Hattie was right there with him.

This was their first warm meal in ages, but it was more than that. It was a feast. Spreads of freshly baked breads, stuffed mushrooms, flakey pastries, cheese and onion tarts, porridge drizzled with honey, green salads with edible flowers, candied nuts, hardy broths, grilled leeks, baked apples, and much, much more with an assortment of ciders and wines and, yes, jam were laid before them, and the hobbits nearly wept for joy. Within seconds they were loading their plates, and Hattie had to act fast or else there would soon be nothing left at this end of the table.

"What, no meat?" Gimli harrumphed from beside Hattie, and she shrugged.

"Elves are vegetarians."

"Veg…what?"

"No meat."

The dwarf's face fell as if Hattie had just told him that mithril was a sub-par metal. He turned from her, muttering dwarvish that was no doubt a string of curses against all tree huggers.

As for herself, Hattie believed she could roll with this dietary change. The hobbits seemed happy too, stuffing themselves and grinning ear to ear. Well, all of them expect Frodo. He would nod once in a while when Sam asked him something, but mostly he sat picking at his food. Once in a while, he would glance over at the other end of the table, where Celeborn and Aragorn seemed in deep conversation. Seeing this, Hattie supposed that she wouldn't get a chance to talk to the Lord anytime soon. Not until breakfast was over at least, which disappointed her. Worse, Hattie could feel someone's eyes on her.

Boromir was seated directly across from her, glancing at her between bites. Like Frodo, he looked miserable. His eyes were clouded as if he had even less sleep than Hattie. They weighed her down every time he looked at her. He acted like he wanted to ask her something, and Hattie feared what he possibly could have to say to her.

"So, what's on the agenda?" Hattie asked, forcing a cheerful tone as she ignored Boromir as best she could.

"Pardon?" Merry asked with a full mouth.

"Are we all just lounging about today and taking naps, or is there something to do?"

As much as Hattie wanted to lay low and keep to herself, she didn't fancy spending her day alone. The time would pass much as she had her night, switching between worry and grief. At least with the hobbits, she had the chance of getting in a few laughs, maybe even witness another iconic scene or two. She did only have a limited time left here after all, and she was determined to enjoy herself a little bit.

"That Miss Glavradis said she would give us a tour of the gardens here in Lothlorien if we liked." Sam offered, "Maybe you would like to join us?"

Hattie frowned in thought before nodding. She was in Lothlorien after all, why not do a little sightseeing?

"Sure. It sounds like fun."

 **~o0o~**

 _Bored..._ Hattie groaned, turning herself over on the bed. In her hands she held Wolf's dog whistle, and she played with the chain. She found comfort in keeping it close, so much that she started to wear it around her neck alongside her locket.

Beside her idly sat the romance novel from her bag, _'The Duke's Seduction'_. It was her only source of entertainment at the moment, but Hattie wasn't in a romantic mood. When Hattie had asked Ólerydwen if there were any books she could borrow, all the elf was able to produce that wasn't in Elvish were some dusty texts in Westron. Hattie guessed they were history books of some kind, but she had no way to tell and quickly grew tired of them after a few hours.

 _Bored!_

It had been two days since the breakfast with Lord Celeborn, and Hattie had not seen hide or nor hair of him or his wife since. The moment Hattie thought she might be able to get a word with him the elf took off without so much as a glance in her direction. It was frustrating, but the garden tour after had been pleasant, and Hattie was sorry it hadn't lasted longer than it did. It had been her and the hobbits led by Glavradis around what the elf believed to be some of the more noteworthy parts of nature that Lothlorien had to offer. The spots weren't gardens per se, more like wild patches of various flowers and vines that tangled together in haphazard but beautiful arrangements.

Sam, in particular, found them fascinating, drilling Glavradis with all sorts of questions to the point the elf looked somewhat intimidated. He had won 'The Best Garden Competition' three times in a row back in the Shite, and that, as Hattie quickly found out when she made the mistake of asking, was no small feat. Apparently, it was one of the most ruthless and vicious contests in all of hobbitish culture, to the point that several blood-feuds had been sworn over it, and one hobbit suspected of cheating nearly lost his head when a casserole had been thrown at him. Bilbo had been the judge of it for as long as any of the hobbits could remember, but Frodo didn't say anything when the other hobbits asked him to talk about Bilbo's involvement in one of the bloodiest competitions.

If Hattie had thought Frodo morose before, she was now sorely being proven wrong. The hobbit's sorrowful blue eyes twisted at Hattie's conscious like a knife every time she looked at him. It wasn't her fault he was so upset, as he would be mourning Gandalf with or without her involvement, and yet Hattie could not help her guilt. Even Pippin and Merry weren't as entertaining as usual, as every once in a while, one of them would look over towards the distant mountains thoughtfully.

And that's why Hattie decided it would be necessary to avoid the hobbits as well as everyone else for the rest of her stay. Even if she was bored and wanted company, it wasn't fair for her to hang around them while they dealt with their grief for Gandalf. She had no sadness for him or worry for the journey ahead since she was going home. But they knew the worst was not yet behind them, and they needed time to process what happened, just as Hattie needed the same when it came to Wolf.

She imagined how right around this time he would be whining to go out, complaining about the pair of them being cooped up in the tree too long. As Ólerydwen brought Hattie's meals to her, Hattie had no reason or desire to leave. But the muscles in her legs felt itchy for a walk, and Hattie found herself agreeing with the phantom of Wolf she conjured up.

 _Well, perhaps a little time out wouldn't be so bad, fresh air and all that,_ Hattie decided with a huff.

Getting up off the bed, Hattie reached for her bag. Taking out her journal, pencil case, and iPod, Hattie found herself getting excited at the idea of finding a little nook to draw. In-between trying to read and lounging around bored, Hattie had also been making an effort to catch up with her writing and sketching about the journey so far. Now that it was over, all the things that happened to her were almost funny. Well, some things were. And some things she never wanted to think on again.

 _"Will you…that is, will you stay with me? No matter what?"_

 _'To my last breath.'_

 _"And we're going home, right? You'll help me get home?"_

 _'If that is what you truly wish.'_

Of course that's what she wished. That's all she wanted this whole time here in Middle-earth. Even if her grandparents were dead, her father absent, and her mother gone…that's all Hattie wanted. It was enough to just get home, even if there wasn't anything to do home to…

Hattie hurried herself over to the door out of her chambers, wanting to leave behind her thoughts. Almost immediately she found herself face to face with the polished armor plate of an elven guard. Hattie flinched back in surprise.

"Oh! Uh, hello!" She smiled, not knowing how long he had been standing there. She recognized him as the guard who had been outside her door before. Was this his post then? Seemed a strange place for it, seeing as how it was only her little room up here in this tree.

"Eh, sorry about that." Hattie chuckled awkwardly before trying to move around him, "I'll just–"

 _"Lle lertala lestasí arcundo."_ (You cannot leave here without an escort.) The elf interrupted as he moved to stand directly in Hattie's way. His words sounded like some kind of warning, but without any way of understanding him, Hattie just shook her head and moved to the other side.

"Sorry, I don't speak Elvish. Just, um, excuse me. Please."

A second time the elf moved to block her, but this time Hattie slipped past and out of the room. She wondered if maybe he wanted something from her, and was about to consider asking when he suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Wait! Hey! What are you doing?!" Hattie screamed as he pulled her back inside, ushering her further in till the back of her knees hit the bed.

 _"I'Brennil Galadriel bodata."_ (The Lady Galadriel forbids it.)

Hearing Galadriel's name, Hattie's guts twisted. Did he come to take her to Lady Galadriel finally? This didn't sound as if the Lady was summoning her though. This sounded like…well, Hattie didn't know what it sounded like. When the guard let go, Hattie again tried to move past him, not wanting to be alone with him any longer. Again though he grabbed her, and Hattie was harshly yanked away from the door, making her drop her things.

"Let me go! I'll rip your ears off, I swear I will!" Hattie threatened as she tried to pry his hand off. Was he trying to stop her from leaving? Why? She hadn't done anything wrong. Hell, she hadn't even left this room in two days, so what was the problem here?!

 _God, I really do have a natural talent for pissing off elves!_

 _"Tampa tanya!"_ (Stop that!) Another elf called out just as Hattie was ready to make good on her word. It was Ólerydwen, and Hattie was glad to see her when she stormed inside and swatted the guard's hand away.

 _"San vinima."_ (So childish.) She hissed at the guard. He did not back down however, gesturing at Hattie like it was her fault he was now in trouble.

 _"Re nae devlesta sí pen-"_ (She was trying leave here without-)

 _"N'quenta! Re naa nín cáma. Re n'nauva nahta."_ (No excuses! She is my responsibility. She will not be harmed.)

 _"Ach re–!"_ (But she-!)

Ólerydwen silenced the guard once and for all with an icy glare that even had Hattie shacking, or maybe it was her adrenaline finally rising to the occasion a moment too late. Either way, the guard remained silent, nodding to Ólerydwen before leaving to take up his post outside the door again. As quickly as it had appeared, the stern look on Ólerydwen was then replaced with a smile.

"Now…I take it you wanted to leave your room for a while?"

"Yeah," Hattie frowned as she bent down to pick up her things, "but what the hell was all that about?"

"Hm? Oh!" She exclaimed as if she had already forgotten what just happened, "That was Aledor. He is your guard."

"My what?"

Ólerydwen merely shrugged and gestured for Hattie to follow her out the door. Hattie hesitated a little as they passed the guard, but this time he let her do so with nothing more than a glare.

"Our borders are well protected. But since some of those orcs that pursued you and your companions escaped, it is better to be cautious, no?" Ólerydwen offered by way of explanation as she led them down the stairs.

"No…? Why do I get a personal guard? None of the others have one."

"Obviously it is because you have no skill for survival whatsoever. You are as helpless as a newborn babe."

Hattie shrunk at that. It was true but damn, did she have to put it like that? Still, even if that was the reason, why did the guard try and stop her from leaving her room? It seemed as if he was under order to prevent her from doing so, which didn't sound much like protection to Hattie. More like…imprisonment.

 _No,_ Hattie decided with a shake of her head, _that couldn't be it. I haven't done anything wrong…have I?_

"I will take you to your companions," Ólerydwen offered as they reached the bottom of the stairs, "There, you will be at your leisure."

"Actually, I was hoping to go back to one of the gardens. I'd rather sit and sketch right now, and be-" Hattie tried to explain, but it was already too late as Ólerydwen took off down a path opposite the way Hattie had wanted to go.

"…alone." Hattie sighed. Briefly, she wondered if maybe she could just go off by herself now, but glancing up the stairs, Hattie saw she was still being watched by the guard. Figuring it was better not to make any trouble for herself, Hattie followed after Ólerydwen.

Today a gentle rain had come over Lothlorien, but the thick canopy of trees kept the ground and paths dry. The sound of the drops against the leaves created a whisper that Hattie found comforting as she followed the elf, the air cool and soft as if it was spring rather than winter. Still, Hattie was grateful for the hose and tunic, as it was warmer than the silk dress. Ólerydwen had made good on her word and gave Hattie some cotton shirts meant for young boys and a few darkly colored hoses, which were similar enough to her leggings with the exception of being made of soft leather. While the lilac dress had been pretty, Hattie just found it easier to dress herself this way. Besides, Ólerydwen said that she would sow Hattie new dresses to wear, ones that actually fit her curvier figure, but it would take a few days. Which was more than fine by Hattie.

In a little while, Hattie could hear strange noises up ahead. It sounded like someone was fighting, but as Hattie rounded a corner with Ólerydwen all she could see was the hobbits. The wooded path opened up to a small, flat dirt clearing. Tree roots surrounded the entirety of it, and tacked on display were elven weapons and armor. Was this a barracks of some sorts? More likely a training ground, as in the middle of the field, near to a rippling fountain, was Aragorn and Boromir. They were instructing the hobbits' sparring session, which came to an abrupt halt when they all spotted Hattie.

"Ah! Miss Hattie! Long time no see!" Exclaimed Pippin happily. He abandoned his fight with Frodo to run over to her. Merry followed after him, though he frowned at her clothes.

"I see you are back to your frumpy ways, Miss Hattie." He sighed as if disappointed in her. Hattie didn't know quite how to respond to that.

"Uh…yeah. Sorry?"

"I shall leave you here with your companions," Ólerydwen announced, curtseying to Hattie, "I shall instruct one of the guards to escort you back to your chamber when it is time for your evening meal."

Hattie turned and, sure enough, there were guards all around the training grounds. Many of them were mingling, so it seemed they weren't on duty or anything, but one or two nodded back at Ólerydwen as she left. Hattie supposed it was them she was talking about. Hattie wanted to protest to say that she could manage on her own, but there seemed little point as there was no one to listen to her.

"She seems…nice," Merry commented dryly. Hattie had to suppress a snort.

"That's one word for it."

"Is she your nanny or something?" Pippin asked, to which Hattie only shrugged.

 _He's not that wrong actually. It feels like I am being watched carefully for…something._

Again, Hattie shook out the feeling, but it was harder to let go this time. Things were not how she imagined they would be in Lothlorien. They weren't adding up like she wanted, and worse, Hattie was starting to think maybe something might be wrong. She managed to push it aside when Aragorn called out to her, not wanting to reflect on it too much.

"Miss O'Connor. It has been some time since we had the pleasure of your company. I hope you are well rested." He smiled before he waved for her to come closer, "Come and join us."

"Oh, I was actually hoping to get some sketching done." Hattie declined, gesturing to the stuff in her hands. Aragorn did not back down however.

"Later. It is more important to take this time and invest in your training. You have need of it."

"So people keep telling me." She grumbled, not willing to move.

Training didn't really sound like any kind of fun, especially when Hattie had her heart set on drawing. It seemed that Aragorn wouldn't let it drop though, as no doubt he was thinking of her safety on the journey ahead. Which of course made her uncomfortable for a lot of reasons, mostly because she would not be leaving Lothlorien with them. But it wasn't like she could tell him that. Besides…maybe a little training would be alright. It certainly would help stretch out her muscles and give her the chance to sweat a little and work out her frustration. But wouldn't that mean she would have to train with Boromir?

Reflecting on it a little more, Hattie eventually nodded.

 _What the hell. At least it will pass the time. And with Aragorn here, Boromir will keep his opinions to himself._

"Alright. But I don't have my staff anymore. It broke back in...well, you know." Hattie trailed off as she went to find a place to safely put her stuff. Aragorn nodded in understanding and went over towards the edge of the training field. Glancing over the display of weapons, he found one he thought appropriate for her. Picking it up, he presented it to Hattie.

It was another staff, perhaps the same length as her first, but it looked a lot heavier as it had metal caps on each end. There was also a woven band of leather for grip in the middle, as well as detailed carvings of elvish letters that were perhaps some kind of charm.

"This doesn't have a funny face on it, but it will do I guess." Hattie shrugged as she accepted it.

"Merry, Pippin. Continue with your sparring, remember your footwork." Aragorn instructed before turning to Hattie, "Miss O'Connor, take position."

"But, I thought-" She started, glancing towards Boromir. He was looking at the pair of them, also looking somewhat expectant, but not saying a word. Aragorn shook his head before drawing his sword from his side.

"I shall instruct you today."

Hattie barely had time to register this before Aragorn swung his sword at her. The move was slow enough she was able to raise the staff to block it, but that didn't keep her from feeling as if her life span had just been shortened by a few years.

"H-hey! Why aren't you using a staff?!"

"Staffs are used mostly by peasants," Aragorn answered as again he swung his sword, giving Hattie time to block the blow that would have hacked her side open, "Orcs and goblins, on the other hand, are far more likely to employ bladed weapons. You must learn to block those expertly in a way that will ensure you do not end up allowing your only defense to break again. Remember this, a staff is more a shield than a weapon, and should be used thus."

Here, Aragorn struck again, only this time faster and directed at Hattie's ankles. She stumbled back to avoid it, shrieking when she ended up tripping. This was not something she was used to. Boromir had been a tough teacher, yeah, but he only moved her through the stances. This was…this was crazy!

Seeing her still unconvinced and ready to panic, Aragorn offered Hattie a hand to help her stand back up. Hesitatingly, she took it.

"You lack the speed for a sword, the dexterity for a knife, and the strength for an axe. For now, this is the better option to train your reflexes. Soon, if you show improvement, we will discuss which weapon would be best suited for you."

He let go of her hand, smiling as if to reassure her. Hattie was already panting with exertion. A part of her wanted to stop, but a larger part, the one that had been swallowing down her frustration, fears, and worries, felt that she should continue. At least until she managed to smack that stupid sword out of the Ranger's grip. Then she would go and draw in peace.

"W-what if I don't show improvement?" She hazard to asked. Aragorn's smile widened.

"You will."

 _God, why did that sound like a threat?_

 **~o0o~**

In three days, Hattie found herself falling into a strange routine.

Each morning she would awake and eat the breakfast that Ólerydwen brought to her room. Then she would take her time getting dressed, read some, draw or journal, and eventually around noon she would ask to go to the training grounds. The guard outside her door, Aledor she tried to remember, would either escort her or find someone else that would.

Then Hattie would train with the hobbits under Aragorn, break for a light lunch with them, and then wander her way back to her room for dinner. At first she was worried about hanging around with the others, especially Boromir, but like she guessed he didn't say anything to her while Aragorn was around. And with Gimli spending his time taking naps and Legolas either out on patrol with Haldir or off exploring the woods with his Galadhrim relatives, there wasn't any of the awkwardness Hattie had been dreading. All in all, it felt rather nice. Almost normal.

 _Almost._

"Stop that," Hattie growled at the elf walking beside her. Today for her escort to the training grounds, Aledor found none other than Rúmil, the elf with the scar, to take his place.

 _"Daro mani, pîn opole?"_ (Stop what, little fawn?) Rúmil asked in a tone of fake innocence.

"Stop doing that." She gestured to the flower in his hand. For the past five minutes, he had been plucking out the petals and tossing them at the back of her head, getting the pink things stuck in her hair which Ólerydwen had gone through the trouble of putting up into a nice braid.

But Rúmil only responded by tilting his head, as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Damn it," Hattie cursed as she stamped her foot, "I know you understand me! You're only pretending that you don't speak Common Tongue!"

At her allegation, Rúmil again played innocent as he smiled at her.

 _"Amin baw sinta mani lle tele."_ (I do not know what you mean.)

Hattie groaned then, which caused Rúmil to laugh.

"Something is going on here, and I don't like it. I feel like I'm being treated like a..." Hattie started to accuse, but couldn't finish what was on her mind.

She couldn't finish it because she didn't like what it implied. And what it implied was that everything wasn't as alright as she thought it was. And maybe that meant that Galadriel wasn't going to send her home. It had been almost a week now, and Hattie hadn't gotten a hello, let alone any word on when she would be leaving from the Lord or Lady. Celeborn did say they needed a few days to prepare, but a few days were less than a week, weren't they? And what about her needing to be escorted everywhere? Like she was some kind of delinquent? And what about Ólerydwen insisting on hovering over Hattie at every possible moment?

All of it added up to mean that something was wrong here. And if something was wrong…no. Hattie couldn't bring herself to doubt right now. All she had was going home, it was all that was holding her together. And if that wasn't going to happen...

 _No, no. It's fine._ Hattie insisted, forcing herself to continue forward down the path. _Gandalf said that Galadriel would be able to send me home. So there's nothing to worry about. Nothing…_

Seeing the worry on her brow, Rúmil frowned as he followed after her.

 _"Baw dela san olya, pîn opole. Lle nauva yára daileg flâd."_ (Do not worry so much, little fawn. You will wrinkle your lovely skin.) He jested, again laughing. Something boiled over in her then, and she whipped around to point an accusing finger in his face.

"Ah two!" She shouted at him, "Ah two mick...damn. I thought I knew it."

Hattie groaned. What kind of nerd was she if she didn't know that popular elvish phrase? Turning around once more, Hattie continued on towards the training grounds.

At least sparring with Aragorn would offer her a chance to vent her frustration. But even then, Hattie was starting to get the feeling that maybe he wanted to train her personally in order to get her to open up to him. She knew the Ranger didn't really trust her, or at least, he wasn't willing to put his faith in her as he did Gandalf, but she wondered if maybe he was hoping that by teaching her to be self-reliant, she would rely on him. She didn't like being coxed like that, but then again, she was using him to vent her frustrations, wasn't she? And it wasn't like she even wanted Aragorn to trust her, seeing as how she would be leaving soon. Right?

 _God,_ Hattie groaned to herself _, This is all so confusing. I miss a time when the most I worried for anything Middle-earth related was whether or not The Silmarillion should count as true canon…_

Despite her thoughts, Hattie kept on towards the training grounds. It was better than spending time alone, at any rate. She could almost invasion this as the day she finally disarmed Aragorn, as he had just yesterday showed her a move that would make it possible. Of course, he just might see it coming, so maybe she if distracted him…

Hattie's thoughts were so preoccupied that she didn't notice when she had finally made it to the training grounds. Worse, it took her a moment to register that neither Aragorn or the hobbits were there, only Boromir. He had his sword drawn and seemed to be practicing a sequence of moves, which he paused when he spotted her.

"Oh. Um, hi." She stammered in surprise, "Is...is Aragorn here?"

The Prince-Steward shook his head, "He had business with Lord Celeborn this morning. As for the hobbits, I understand that they have gone with Gimli to see the forgery."

"Really? That sounds like fun. Wonder why they didn't invite me..." Hattie replied absently as Rúmil moved past her and towards the few other elves at the edge of the training grounds. They cheered in welcome to see him, and the set of them immediately began an animated conversation in elvish. Even though he was her escort, Hattie considered leaving Rúmil behind to go back to her room. It wasn't that Hattie was afraid of Boromir, but she really didn't want to be alone with him any more than she had to be. It was clear out of all the Fellowship he disliked her the most, so really, she would be doing them both a favor if she turned around and walked away.

Before she got the chance to though, Boromir spoke up.

"It need not be a waste. Come, I shall teach you."

Hattie couldn't help but frown.

"You will?"

"I have before," He countered, glancing at her while attempting a smile, "So there is no need for objection, yes?"

"Yes," Hattie answered absently before shaking her head, "I mean no, no there's not."

Hattie turned around and walked over to where she knew her staff for practice was kept. Was she really going to do this? Everything about it seemed like a bad idea. Boromir hated her. What if he took the opportunity to…what? Hurt her? Boromir wouldn't do that. Not with Rúmil and the other elves nearby. Maybe he might accuse her of being a traitor again. But what good would that do? Especially since the Lady Galadriel herself had told them that Gandalf's purpose was yet undetermined.

 _Besides, at least with Boromir, I know where I stand. He thinks I'm a witch, and I think he's an asshole. No confusion whatsoever._

Bad idea or not, Hattie felt oddly okay with Boromir instructing her. One, it would have been very rude to leave. Two, Hattie still needed to vent her frustration somehow. And three, she did prefer his way of teaching to Aragorn. As he had before, Boromir ran Hattie through the basic stances, correcting her when needed but mostly observing. Hattie tried not to meet his eyes, worried about seeing the troubled look in them she had before, but Boromir seemed content to keep such to a minimum. He was incredibly patient with her, even more than he had been before when he first taught her in Moria. Perhaps this was his way of saying things were cool between them?

After perhaps forty minutes of running through the sequences of stances and strikes, Boromir decided to copy Aragorn's method and have Hattie spar against him. It was slower than what she was used to with the Ranger, but still just as much hard work. Boromir had her do the same sequence of blocks over and over again against whatever attack he came up with. When he began to move faster however, Hattie found he did not hold back. Several times he managed to hit the staff out of her hands, making her fingers tingle with the force of the blows till she felt them become almost numb.

Hattie didn't worry that this was a sign of Boromir's previous anger at her. If anything, Hattie felt like she was the one getting angry. Every time Boromir's sword hit the staff and knocked it out of her grip, it made Hattie feel helpless. Against him, against Aragorn. Against Legolas's suspicions and Ólerydwen's meddling. Against the apprehension of what was happening that was beyond her understanding, against the worry of going home, the fear of what she would find when she did, against the force that brought her here, branded her, took Wolf from her, made her suffer nightmare upon nightmare until she wondered if maybe she just might be going crazy-

"Ah!" Boromir suddenly exclaimed when Hattie, somehow, managed to hit his knuckles and make him drop his sword. It clattered to the ground, catching the attention of Rúmil and the others elves briefly.

"Oh my God!" Hattie shouted, dropping the staff as if it burned her, "I'm so sorry! Did I break something?!"

"Nay, I am fine." Boromir gritted between his teeth as he retreated towards the fountain. He chuckled as he sat down at the rim, experimentally moving his fingers, "It was a good strike."

Hattie didn't feel like laughing with him, but a small surge of pride welled up in her. Still feeling somewhat guilty for hurting him though, Hattie picked up his sword and brought it over to him. She hadn't realized how awkwardly heavy it when she first picked it up in Moria. It amazed her how she was ever able to block such a weapon at all.

"Is it heavy?" Boromir asked as he gently took the sword from her with his unhurt hand.

"A bit," She smirked, "You must have scary thick biceps."

"No." He shook his head, "I mean the burden you bear. Is it as heavy as Frodo's?"

Hattie titled her head, not understanding. But she could tell by the sudden dark cloud that overcame Boromir's grey eyes that what he was asking was not anything she wanted to answer at this moment. God, was he going to ask for her advice on the future again? She couldn't do that, not right now, probably not ever again.

 _Get out. Get out. Get out, get out, get out before you fuck up again!_

"I…I don't…" She struggled to come up with some excuse, looking over towards Rúmil for hope. But he was still occupied with his friends, allowing Boromir to continue.

"Your knowledge of things to come…it frightens me. It frightens me because sometimes when you think no one is watching, you look so terrified. So sorrowful." Boromir confessed, shocking Hattie.

What was someone supposed to say to something like that? 'You're wrong, I looked depressed because I was taken from my world with no guarantee of return and sucked into a fairy tale with no survival skills at hand or precious memories of loved ones'? Hattie supposed it didn't matter what she told him though, because Boromir probably saw what he wanted to, and wouldn't be told otherwise. Maybe she if she confessed something as close to the truth as she dared then maybe he would leave it alone just like Aragorn had? Hattie decided that would be a good plan, but then Boromir confessed something else.

"I heard her voice inside my head."

"What?" Hattie blinked. This time she really didn't have any idea what he was talking about, until the obvious occurred to her, "Oh. Galadriel."

 _I suppose that would be kind of creepy if you aren't expecting it to happen._

"She spoke of my father…and the fall of Gondor…" Boromir continued, but Hattie didn't want to hear any more. She recognized this. His words. These are things he should be telling Aragorn, more or less according to the movie, in order to better cement their bond. Hattie by all rights should not be hearing this, let alone being the one Boromir was sharing them with.

"Wait, maybe you should go talk to Aragorn about-" Hattie tried to suggest, but Boromir cut her off.

"She said to me: even now, there is hope left." He paused, looking up to her as his breath became shaky, "But I cannot see it. It is long since we had any hope."

Hattie wanted to run. She wanted to go and find Aragorn and drag him by his greasy hair over here so he could take her place. This was wrong, it was all wrong. Hattie should be home by now, not dealing with the emotional baggage of a forty-year-old man. The most terrible thing that should be happening to her right now was final exams or applying for internships. Anything but this.

And yet…Hattie ended up surprising herself by coming over and sitting beside Boromir on the rim of the fountain. She knew it was wrong, she knew it shouldn't be her hearing this. But some part of her just couldn't bring herself to leave or tell Boromir to stop. And right now she didn't have the forethought to question it.

"My father is a noble man, but his rule is failing, and our…our people lose faith. He looks to me to make things right, and I would do it. I would see the glory of Gondor restored." Boromir let out a humorless chuckle, "And yet…"

He looked at her again and seemed to have a hard time continuing. Watching his expression carefully, Hattie was able to see the trace of guilt within it.

"You said once that I was a good man. A noble man. You said that you knew this to be true and that I should hold on to that. Remember?"

Boromir waited until Hattie nodded before continuing.

"Yet, in Moria, in the tomb of Gimli's ilk, I felt such _anger_ towards you. Hatred even. If your hound had not intervened when I grabbed you, I would have…I…and after, with Gandalf's death, I thought it was needless and you a traitor, and yet the Lady Galadriel herself said his full purpose was unknown…" Again he stopped, swallowing hard as his breathing became labored with emotion. He looked so lost and ashamed, making Hattie wonder just how angry he had been. Had he…had he wanted to hurt her? _Kill_ her? Was that what he was trying to say?

 _Well, that doesn't bode well for the rest of this conversation,_ Hattie thought, wondering if again she might still have the chance of running away.

"You, you and the Lady Galadriel seem to know so much. See what others cannot, and it is frightening."

Boromir reached for Hattie's hand then, shocking her still. He wrapped his hands around hers, and in a gesture of apology shook their entwined hands.

"And yet…I cannot believe any of you. For you were wrong about my character. And neither I can believe the Lady Galadriel's promise of hope. For she had that same look of sorrow you often wear when she spoke to me. You both speak of false things, as wonderful as they may sound…"

Before Hattie could become uncomfortable, Boromir let go of her hand, not responding when she then took the opportunity to slide away from him a little.

She needed space to process what she had just heard. This was more than a confession or apology, which granted neither of which she would have expected to hear from the Prince-Steward. It was a plea. For help or relief, she couldn't tell. Wasn't it just little more than a week ago he was calling her a spy and a witch? Worse, he had practically spelled out for her how much he hated her, and by all rights, Hattie should be fleeing for her life in case he suddenly changed his mind.

But…

 _But what?_ Hattie groaned, _But nothing! I don't need to do anything here. Just leave, go get Aragorn, and let him deal with all this drama!_

But…if that was the obvious solution, why didn't Boromir go to Aragorn with all this in the first place? Were things between him and the Ranger not developing as they should? What if the rift between them was worse because of Hattie? If that was the case, then it would have to be up to Hattie to fix it. At least a little. Enough to undo the damage she had done. It was the least she could do after all. And besides, there was a full-grown man sitting next to her ready to cry his eyes out. He needed some comfort and comfort quick before Hattie would get the chance to fetch the one who really should be here.

Even if just for a few minutes, she would just have to be a surrogate. But that meant she was going to have to say _something_. She ended up going with the first thought that crossed her mind.

"What a load of bullshit."

From beside her, Boromir raised his head from his hands.

"Pardon?" He asked, brows raising incredulously.

"What a load of bullshit!" Hattie repeated louder, "I get it, okay? I should have done better by you guys. I'm kind of new to this whole seer thing and so far I've sucked at it. So, it's fine if you don't believe me, but what I said about you being a good guy still remains true. I mean, you might be an ass at times, but overall you're not _so_ bad."

Boromir's expression bordered on confused and insulted. He ended up almost grinning though when he caught Hattie's teasing smile.

"But Lady Galadriel's been doing this stuff for _thousands_ of years!" Hattie pressed on, knowing she had a point somewhere in this little speech as a well of emotion took over, "She was born before the First Age had even started, survived Morgoth's war, outwitted Sauron, and formed the White Council. If the Lady Galadriel tells you there is hope, then you bet your bottom dollar there's hope! I see it too! So get used to believing pal, cause it's two against one right now!"

 _Okay, that's good enough, right?_ _I can stop now._ Hattie thought. But words just kept pouring out of her.

"And look, I know, alright? I know how _fucking_ hard it is to hold on to hope when you think there is nothing left to hope for. When all of your friends and loved ones have been taken or killed and all you got is the memory of what once was. But not even that! Because memories fade and nothing can compare to having them there with you. And when all hope seems so lost you just want to give up because what is the point? It will never be the way it was. But you have to hope. You have to find something to hope for…you…you just _have_ to! Because otherwise, you might as well be-!"

Hattie stopped the moment she felt something on her cheek, and she realized that she was starting to cry. She looked at Boromir and he seemed just as shocked as she was, but perhaps it was more by what she had said. Undoubtedly, she had been projecting, and that hadn't been her intention. Hattie couldn't be sure what her intention was, but she had Boromir's full attention now.

"Um, sorry." She muttered, looking away to rub at her eyes furiously.

What gave her the right to start crying when it was Boromir who was supposed to be having the emotional meltdown? All he wanted was to help restore Gondor, hoping against hope despite doubts and even evidence to the contrary. It was heartbreaking, the way no one seemed willing to give him the answer he wanted to hear, something to feed his hope before it was gone forever. If anyone understood that feeling, it was Hattie.

 _Oh. Oh I just got the connection._

"I can't say I know what it is to exactly be you," Hattie forced herself to talk, this time a little more certain about what she wanted to say, "You and your people are on the frontlines in this fight. God, I can't even imagine what it must have been like growing up with war. I can't even imagine what it's like growing up without TV!"

"What is-" Boromir started to ask, but Hattie waved his question off.

"Not important. But it is important that all you want to do is help your people, your father, but everyone else keeps on saying that the Ring is evil and must be destroyed. Which is true, but it probably feels like people are telling you that your hope is wrong."

Hattie, taking a risk, reached for Boromir's hand. Copying the way he had held her hands before, Hattie hoped that the gesture conveyed her meaning better than her words.

"But it's not. Not its intentions anyway. But I think you can't believe in your hope, in me, or in Lady Galadriel because you put your hope in the wrong thing. You have to place your hope in something else, something stronger than the Ring."

"Such as?"

Hattie opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out. She had been on to something there, thinking she was covering all the bases of what Boromir should hear, but it seemed she missed the all-important point once again.

"I…I don't know," She confessed, deflating, "I guess you're going to have to find it."

It was an understatement that Boromir looked a little disappointed with her answer, but all in all, he did seem a lot less miserable then he had been. At least he offered her a small smile, and Hattie hoped it meant that he no longer hated her. Maybe he even liked her a little again, but that might be asking for too much.

"Sorry. I told you I sucked at this seer thing." She sighed, but inspiration came upon her suddenly and in the form of Gandalf's all too annoying words of advice, "But you have the beginnings of friendship here, Boromir. Even if you don't see it yet."

Boromir's smile dropped then, and Hattie worried she had undone everything. But Boromir merely glanced down at his hand, still clasped by hers, and gave a grateful squeeze. Before Hattie could become uncomfortable with the gesture, she brought her hands back to herself. Thankfully, Boromir did not look disappointed by this, and he took a moment to recover himself. Her cheeks feeling itchy from her little cry, Hattie scrunched up her face and laughed.

"Ick, sorry. I must look awful. God, I'm such a cry baby." She muttered as she tried to restore what little dignity she had left. Turning from Boromir, Hattie was about to splash her face with some water from the fountain when she noticed the pair of them weren't alone.

Well, they hadn't been alone, as Rúmil and the elves from before were still chatting away. But now there was another elf.

On the other side of the fountain stood Legolas. He was dressed in his embroidered tunic, a book tucked under one of his arms. There was no way to tell how long he had been standing there, but all his attention was on Hattie as his eyes flickered to hers. At her gasp of surprise, Boromir also turned and saw Legolas. He stood up sharply then, as if ashamed at being seen so close to her. Seeing this, Legolas slightly bowed his head in greeting.

"Pardon the intrusion."

"No intrusion" Boromir explained, taking up the sword beside him to sheath it at his side, "We were merely talking."

Legolas arched a brow, looking wryly amused at the pairs' awkwardness. Or maybe angry. It was hard to tell for Hattie, especially when he again turned to look at her.

"Then my timing is excellent. Ólerydwen has been looking for you, Miss O'Connor."

"Oh, shit." Hattie muttered, "She probably has finished with the dresses and wants me to try them on."

 _If she makes one more comment about my hips, I swear, I will not be responsible for my actions._

Hattie stood, and despite being watched by the elf, she made certain to smile up at Boromir.

"See you later."

"Yes, good day, Miss Hattie," Boromir bowed slightly, returning her smile, "And thank you. I shall try to heed your words."

Turning, Hattie made to leave the training grounds on the one path she knew would lead her back to her chambers. She expected Rúmil to follow after her but started in surprise when Legolas took up beside her on the path. This had been the first time she had seen him since breakfast with Lord Celeborn, so she had to wonder why all of a sudden he had appeared. And at such a time too. Immediately she looked down to pick at something on her tunic, still conscious about her puffy eyes.

Hattie didn't think she had anything else to really be embarrassed about, but it was obvious that Boromir had been about something and that something made Hattie worry. Maybe Legolas didn't trust the two of them alone? He had before confronted Hattie on how she acted around the Prince-Steward, but perhaps Legolas didn't think this an improvement. And why was he walking with her anyway? Since that day in the forest he hadn't spoken to her, only glared whenever given the chance. Even now, Hattie was conscious of his eyes on her. But this time she convinced herself she was going to say something about it when Legolas beat her to it.

"You and the Prince-Steward have seemed to have made…amends."

"Huh?" She balked, his tone sounding critical, "Oh, yeah. I guess. We had a good talk."

"You now appear to be quite close. Considering how little ago you feared his anger." He added stiffly.

Still charged up from her altercation with Boromir, emotions rose up in Hattie in response to the elf's comment. She almost shook with them.

Where did he get the nerve to say these things to her? Every time he came around he made Hattie feel like she was trial for something. Usually her actions around Boromir. And for once when she actually felt she had done some good by the Prince-Steward, here Legolas was again talking down to her as if she had done something wrong and was too ignorant to know it yet. It was as if he thought it is his job to keep his sharp, perfectly shaped nose in her business. Watching her every move for a mistake, digging at all her secrets, following around like a shadow she couldn't leave behind. And it wasn't just Legolas anymore. Ólerydwen, Aledor, even Rúmil as he followed after the pair of them. All of them just seemed ready and waiting for Hattie do something wrong, anything, and be the first to punish her.

 _Damn elves. Damn their perfect hair, their perfect faces, their perfect complexions, their perfect 'holier-than-thou' attitudes and their perfect ability for fucking my life up!_

"Well, people change." Hattie ground out through her teeth in an attempt to hold everything back, including some very stubborn tears of frustration.

"Yes, they do." Legolas nodded in agreement, but his tone was accusatory again. Almost audibly, Hattie felt something snap. She turned to glare up at him.

"You make that sound like a bad thing."

Legolas, either ignoring the anger in her tone or not understanding it, shrugged impassively.

"It is simply human nature to be unstable. You are ruled by your passions and fears, making you as changeable as the winds; lacking the experience of ages to act on wisdom, not whim."

His honesty was a little jarring, and maybe he expected that to be the end of the conversation. But Hattie barked out a laugh, surprising the elf beside her. She surprised him further when she practically snarled up at him.

"That's some big talk right there, buddy. I've read the Silmarillion. Fëanor was about as stable as a rabid badger, so don't try to pull that 'elves are better than humans' shtick on me."

The stunned look that fell on Legolas's face felt like a victory, one that Hattie would be savoring for some time. It seemed he forgot about her vast knowledge of history, especially in regard to elves. But rather than become angry in turn, he surprised Hattie by looking…entertained?

"I did not mean any offense. One of the bravest beings I know is a human." He countered, but Hattie wasn't going to let him use that ploy.

"Aragorn? He's not human. Not in the same way Boromir and I are. He's was practically raised by you elves and is one of the Dúnedain. He's more than eighty years old for Pete's sake and hardly looks a day over thirty. Besides, you can't just say he's your friend as if that excuses your biases. Take some responsibility for your prejudices why don't you? You elves aren't as above everyone as you like to think, you're all just as petty and judgmental and bossy and overbearing and always staring and…and-!" Hattie faltered.

She had to stop herself before she got caught up in the throws of a rant. It was one thing to stand up for humanity, but it was another to insult the entire race of elves. Especially to the face of one of their princes.

Again, Legolas looked somewhat stunned by these accusations, but Hattie couldn't bring herself to regret them. They were long overdue for the way he had been acting around her lately. Still, she began to think of some way to apologize just in case, but surprisingly it was difficult to find the words or desire. It took the pair of them a few moments before either was willing to speak. It was Legolas who did first, his words coming out in a gentler, more friendly tone.

"Aye, you are right."

"No duh!" Hattie shouted, only to deflate, "...I am?"

 _Did I hear what I think I just heard?_

"I admit you speak wisely, though not well. Mayhap I have been overbearing towards you, I merely wished…" He paused, shaking his head before switching his tone to a more teasing one, "Perhaps you are not so terrible at this 'seer thing' after all."

Hattie flushed, uncertain if it was the disguised compliment or the fact that the elf had been listening to her conversation with Boromir long enough to overhear that part of it that had her more embarrassed. But, more importantly, the tension between Hattie and Legolas seemed to have instantly diffused itself. Perhaps Legolas was still just as wary and suspicious of her, but for now, he seemed willing to put that aside, and for Hattie that felt like a win. Even better, she was able to vent and one up herself over an elf, which felt very therapeutic. It was as if she could finally breathe again.

 _Maybe I should snap at people more often. The results so far have been quite amazing._

"And perhaps us humans aren't so bad? Despite our unstable ways?" She pressed.

Legolas said nothing in reply but started to smirk a little. It was a rather playful expression, and it surprisingly suited the handsome elf. It was better than his more unreadable face at any rate, but for some reason this look had Hattie feeling even more rattled.

"Oh, hey," She started again, feeling the need to say something, "Thanks, by the way. For your help back in the forest. I wasn't feeling so good, and I was probably close to passing out. I owe you big time."

 _"É? Han naa edaid hi."_ (Indeed? That is twice now.) He replied, again his tone light and teasing.

"What was that?"

Legolas shook his head.

"It is nothing."

Hattie had to suppress an eye roll. And here she thought they just might get along for two seconds. But no, he had to go and mutter something in elvish knowing that she wouldn't understand and lording it over her.

 _That does remind me of something though._ Hattie frowned in thought, _What was it…ah!_

"Oh! Legolas! Big favor!"

At her sudden burst, Legolas lost his smirk, believing something to be wrong.

"Yes?"

"How do you say 'go kiss an orc' in elvish? I knew it once but I forgot."

Legolas's darkly colored brows pulled down into the most confused expression Hattie had ever seen on him. He stopped walking to look her full in the face, looking down at her as if in hope that he had somehow misheard her. But no, Hattie only waited patiently for his answer.

 _"Auta…auta miqula orqu."_ He answered, his tone extremely hesitant as if he was handling an explosive ready to go off in his face.

Hattie smacked her forehead.

"Oh, yeah, duh. Thanks!"

Without further ado, Hattie sharply turned. Lagging behind them by several feet was Rúmil, just as confused as Legolas at this sudden turn of events. He nearly flinched back when Hattie pointed an accusing finger at him.

 _"Auta miqula orqu!"_ She cursed with a scowl, mispronouncing the words just a little, but her point got across.

There was silence for the longest time as Rúmil gaped open-mouthed in shock. Hattie almost wanted to take back what she said, worried she had gone too far.

And then Rúmil burst out with a laugh so loud it startled some birds in the underbrush. It was startling to hear an elf make so much noise, but again Hattie felt like it was some kind of victory, even if a part of her wished the elf would have taken her anger a little more seriously. Turning to continue down the path, Hattie saw Legolas shake his head as if in disappointment. But that same smirk from before was there again, and Hattie hoped it wouldn't be the last time she got to see it.

 **~o0o~**

As the afternoon came and waned into the dim evening, Hattie's feeling of triumph had managed to somehow survive another round of Hinnorneth and Ólerydwen dressing her. Since that breakfast with Celeborn, they had pretty much let Hattie alone in regards to her appearance. But today they took things a step farther than last time, going so far as to attend Hattie while she bathed, scrubbing her within an inch of her life before trimming her nails and coating her in perfume. When all that was done, Hattie got ushered into a dress of white silver that fit her figure better than the lilac one she first wore. Unfortunately, the dress also had trailing sleeves, which though embroidered with a lovely pattern to match the one bordering the collar of the scoop neckline, Hattie knew she was somehow going to trip over them.

All throughout the session, Hattie tried to ask what the occasion was. Ólerydwen herself said that she wouldn't bother with dressing Hattie unless she was going to be presented to the Lord or Lady. But Ólerydwen merely brushed off Hattie's questions, testing the limits of girl's good mood. Finishing off with a girdle belt of silver links hung loosely around her hips and a hurried application of mascara, Hattie was then told that she would be taken to where the Fellowship was staying. The why was left out, but Ólerydwen allowed Hattie to grab her journal when she started to protest, knowing the calming effect it had on the human.

Still uncertain but willing to cling to her previous mood, Hattie followed after Ólerydwen to the clearing where the Fellowship was staying, making certain to wave to Aledor when she passed him at his post. He only responded with a glare, but Hattie elected to ignore it.

She was actually looking forward to spending time with the others, especially now that some tension had been relieved. With Boromir and Legolas talking to her again, Hattie only really needed to worry about Gimli. Maybe she might have time to think of a way to apologize to him? It might be more important that she speak to Aragorn though. It was concerning that Boromir decided to talk to her rather than the Ranger. If there was something between those two, more than there should be, it could affect the storyline later down the road. But what to say? 'Hurry and have a heart to heart talk so that Boromir will later call you his brother, his captain, his king just before he dies, redeeming his character and encouraging you to return to Gondor and lead your people'? That hardly seemed like wisdom.

 _No,_ Hattie sighed, _I've run a huge risk with what I've said so far. I'm lucky it played out as well as it did. But no more interfering._

How easy it was for her to sometimes forget she was supposed to be keeping herself out of trouble. It was just too easy to get roped into being invested with everything going on around her. Hattie needed to keep it in perspective though. She was just feeling vulnerable after losing Wolf, and the delay here in Lothlorien keeping her from going home only aggravated her loneliness and frustration. But that's the kind of thing that Gandalf wanted to happen. She knew it was better for her to keep to herself, and she be damned if she let that wizard have the last laugh!

Just as Hattie fixed her resolve, she and Ólerydwen came to the tented clearing of the Fellowship. Immediately she spotted Boromir, sitting alone, but nearby him was Aragorn, sharpening his weapon. Good, there might still be a chance for those two to chat. Gimli was beside Aragorn, stretched out and taking another nap before dinner, and on the other side of the clearing were the hobbits. Merry, Sam, and Pippin were kneeling around a circle they had drawn, playing a game of marbles that had been provided by their hosts, while Frodo watched them casually nearby.

"Oh, it's Miss Hattie!" Cheered Pippin, spotting her first. Hattie, remembering she was supposed to be in a good mood, smiled and came over.

"Hello."

"Haven't seen you here in some time. You're looking as pretty as a September peach! But what brings you here to this den of bachelors, eh?" The hobbit asked, wiggling his eyebrows comically. It seemed he and Merry both approved of this outfit the same as they did the lilac dress. Why they were both so fascinated with her fashion choices, Hattie doubted she would ever know.

"Honestly I don't know. My nanny brought me here against my will." Hattie grumbled as she watched Ólerydwen leave from the other side of the clearing. From his position beside Sam, Merry frowned up at her.

"Well, that's a fine thing. And here we thought you delighted in our company."

"Oh, I didn't mean it like-"

"Ah, only having a bit of fun," Merry teased, "Come on. Join the game. It's no fun beating these two every time."

"Fine words there, Brandybuck. I'm winning this round." Sam countered. Before the two of them could get into a tiff, Hattie politely declined. Even if a game of marbles seemed harmless enough, Hattie wasn't going to be taking any more chances for emotional bonding to happen. Retreating from the hobbits, Hattie settled down into a nook between some roots. It seemed to be a designated spot to sit, as there were cushions provided.

 _Okay. Just gonna sit here, draw, have a nice time, and not think about why I was brought here, what I might have screwed up, or the lack of progress on my getting home._

That was the plan, at any rate. But after a little while, Hattie spotted Legolas walking into the clearing. It wasn't odd to see him here, as she knew from the book that while he spent most of the day with the other elves, he did come to eat with the Fellowship. She would take that as a promising sign that dinner was to be soon. But Legolas did not look very happy to be here, his eyes glazed over with emotion as he listened to something none of the others could hear. That changed soon enough.

 _"A Olórin i yaresse_

 _Mentaner i Numeherui_

 _Tírien i Rómenóri_

 _Melme nóren sina_

 _núra ala Eäro"_

Everyone paused to listen to the haunting sound of a hundred unseen voices whispering a melody into the evening air. It wasn't uncommon to hear some of the elves singing around this time, but for some reason, this song was different than the others. There was a palpable grief within it, embedding the feeling of strangers into their own hearts and minds, mingling it with their sorrow.

"What is that?" Pippin asked in a whisper, uncertain if speaking would break this strange, sad spell. Hattie, already knowing where this was going, concentrated on her journal. She wished the roots of the tree would grow over her.

"A lament for Gandalf," Legolas replied absently. Merry stood up, wanting to hear better.

"What do they say about him?"

The elf shook his head.

"I have not the heart to tell you. For me, the grief is still too near. A matter for tears…and not yet for song."

 _"Maiaron i Oiosaila,_

 _Manan elye etevanne_

 _Nórie i malanelye?"_

Hattie guessed this is why Ólerydwen had dressed her and brought her here. This was as close to a funeral the Fellowship was going to get for their dearest friend. Though they had all by now physically recovered from the worst of their time in Moria and before, there was still another wound they had all suffered that had yet to even begin to heal. And while Hattie knew that this moment of grief was important, crucial even, she would give almost anything to be anywhere but here.

Though she did not bother to look up, instead grabbing a pencil to begin a sketch, any sketch, Hattie felt the piercing of Legolas's eyes on her. Not just him, but everyone. Most likely it was imagined, but then if it wasn't, she couldn't blame them. Gandalf's death might not have been _entirely_ her fault, but of them all, she was the guiltiest. She certainly felt like it, especially when she stole a glance over at Frodo.

 _Stop it,_ Hattie shook her head, again electing to ignore everything except the line she had been tracing, _So what does it matter if they do blame me? They said they believed me when I said that Gandalf was destined to fall, and that would have happened with or without me, so I have nothing to feel guilty about. Besides, Gandalf will be back soon and they will all be eating their words. I don't have anything to feel sorry over. I'm supposed to be in a good mood for once damn it!_

 _"Ilfirin nairelma_

 _ullume nucuvalme._

 _Nauva i nauva."_

"I bet they don't mention his fireworks. There should be a verse about them." Hattie overheard Sam whisper to Merry. Looking around and seeing the downcast faces of his friends, the hobbit stood up. He looked suddenly nervous, his hands clenched at his sides, but he spoke in a firm voice.

"The finest rockets ever seen, they burst in stars of blue and green… or after thunder… silver showers…"

The hobbit faltered when Gimli snored a little too loudly, earning him a swat from the Ranger beside him.

"Came falling like a… rain of flowers…" Sam shook his head, "Oh, that doesn't do them justice by a long road."

"No, Sam. Gandalf would have been happy to hear such praise." Frodo spoke up, attracting everyone's attention, "Though I confess, I don't miss Gandalf's fireworks so much, but his bushy eyebrows, and his quick temper, and his voice."

A few nods of agreement went around the Fellowship as well as a few bittersweet grins. Even Frodo managed an expression different than his usual wide-eyed misery. Hattie felt relieved to see it and promised herself to stop fussing over pain she didn't cause. There was nothing she could do about it anyway. It was simply something they all had to go through.

 _"Ú-reniathach_

 _i amar galen_

 _I reniad lín ne môr, nuithannen."_

When the lament eventually faded away, Hattie did not even notice. She was entirely engrossed in what she was doing, drawing with one hand while the other played with the dog whistle around her neck. She supposed the worst was over now, as there were no noteworthy events from this moment until Frodo had his talk with Galadriel before the Fellowship would leave Lothlorien. And before that point, Hattie would definitely be gone. But that wasn't good enough. She wanted to leave now.

Only she seemed to be the only one to know that she had overstayed her welcome in this world. And despite this being one of the better days she had spent in Middle-earth, Hattie couldn't really say any one of them had been worth the pain and misery she had been forced to experience. Well…maybe that one time when she managed to convince Gandalf to say expelliarmus, but-

"What do you draw this time, Miss Hattie?" A voice beside her asked. Looking to her right, Hattie saw that Frodo was now sitting on the root beside her, glancing at her journal. Completely caught unawares, she reacted by slapping the book shut.

"Oh! N-nothing!" She flustered. Frodo looked quite dejected by this. Perhaps he had hoped since she had shared her pictures with him before it would be alright again. He looked ready to move away, but not wanting him to think that she found his question rude, Hattie relented and opened the book back up to the page.

"It's nothing, really." She repeated, only to regret everything when she remembered what she had been working on. From beside her, the hobbit's eyes widened in surprise.

"It is a very good likeness." He said thoughtfully after a minute of looking over the rough sketch of his face, "You drew me smiling."

"Yeah. Sorry, I uh…" Faltering, Hattie didn't know what she could say. She didn't know why she chose him for a subject all of a sudden, perhaps it was just because he was on her mind. But that didn't give her the right to draw him like some obsessed wacko. Worse, the real Frodo looked like he hadn't smiled in a hundred years, so maybe he didn't appreciate her artistic license.

 _Quick! Escaped the awkward silence!_

"Uh, let me just find something else," She suggested, flipping through the book, "Oh! How's this?"

She turned it so Frodo could hold it, and the expression on his face softened as he looked it over. It was a simple, rough sketch with little detail, but in it was the entire Fellowship gathered around a fire. Aragorn and Gandalf both were smoking their pipes, and from beside them, Gimli seemed to be talking animatedly at the hobbits, while Legolas was looking off into the distances like he so often did. Hattie felt something cold grip her stomach when she spotted Boromir sitting next to Wolf, absently scratching the dog's ear.

"When did you do this?" Frodo asked, his brow furrowing. Hattie shrugged.

"I don't know. Before Caradhras probably."

"And here you said you had not any talent. I can almost hear the laughter in this memory."

Hattie managed to keep her blush to a minimum. It wasn't worth that kind of praise. Heck, most of everyone's hands looked like fingerless mittens since Hattie could never manage to make them look right. But glancing towards the hobbit, an idea came to her.

"Do you…do you want it?" She asked, not giving herself time to question the impulse. Frodo looked up at her, brows furrowed.

"What?"

"You know, as a parting gift?" She asked again, taking back the journal and tearing the page out. There was nothing on the other side that was of any importance anyway.

"Oh, no, Miss Hattie! I couldn't possibly–" The hobbit tried to object when Hattie folded the paper.

"Yes, you possibly. Trust me." Holding it out to Frodo, Hattie made certain that her expression would leave him with no doubt that she would not accept anything less than him taking it from her. When he did, Hattie was nearly blessed with an actual smile from him.

"Thank you, Miss Hattie."

This time, Hattie allowed herself to blush to the fullest. It hadn't been her intention, but she was glad to make the hobbit happy, at least for a moment. Despite her previous conviction, there certainly wasn't harm or risk with this like there had been with Boromir, was there? But then Frodo frowned thoughtfully.

"But, why is this a parting gift? Are you leaving us?"

Hattie went very still, running back over what she had just said. When she found the flaw, she felt like drowning in the Nimrodel.

 _God damn it!_ Hattie started screaming in her head, _What did I just say I wouldn't do, and I did it anyway! This is why I shouldn't do anything anymore for anyone! You stupid idiot! How the fuck are you going to get out of this one?!_

"Uh…" She tried to start a sentence, but it seemed she needed a few more seconds to come up with a lie. Not that one would help her situation anyways, because the hobbit was already looking at her very curiously. But then, and Hattie never thought she would ever think this, Ólerydwen appeared back into the clearing, saving her. The elf marched right up to where Hattie sat, looking at little anxious for the first time since Hattie met her.

"The Lady Galadriel will speak with you now. I will take you to her."

"What, now?" Hattie balked. She had almost expected anything but that, despite it being the one thing she wanted most. It was…it was just so out of the blue. No word for days and now suddenly it was happening? Wait, was this the real reason Hattie had to get all dressed up? Had she been waiting all this time just because she didn't have a properly fitting dress?!

Almost as if reading her mind, Ólerydwen pursed her lips together to restrain a scowl of annoyance.

"Yes, now. Come." She snapped urgently, and Hattie stood up numbly. From beside her, Frodo looked quite surprised, and the other Fellowship members watched curiously as well.

 _It's happening. It's finally happening! Oh, shit. It's really happening._

"Can't I…can't I pack or something first?" Hattie asked, finding herself oddly hesitant. She didn't think she would feel this way when the time came, but it felt rather queasy with nerves rather than excitement.

"No, you need nothing."

Hattie quickly patted herself down. She had her locket, Wolf's whistle, a pencil, and her journal. In the grand scheme of things, everything was probably replaceable, even if it would be a bit weird to go back home in a dress like this. The real stinger would be in leaving her phone behind with all those pictures, but Hattie wasn't about to protest that. Still, it felt like Hattie was leaving behind something else, but she couldn't say what entirely. Taking a fortifying breath, Hattie smiled up at the elf.

"Okay. Lead the way I guess."

Ólerydwen arched a brow, taking time to shake her head before gesturing to a path nearby. Taking her cue, Hattie slowly walked over to it. Against her better judgment, she gave in to the impulse to glance back. Besides Gimli, the Fellowship all looked at her, their curiosity obvious. Aragorn himself seemed like he wanted to ask what this was about, but held himself back. No doubt he thought he would get answers when Hattie returned.

For some reason, that thought made Hattie chuckle. With Ólerydwen moving past her to take the lead down the path, Hattie delayed just long enough to give the Fellowship a small wave before following after her. In a matter of seconds, they had all disappeared from her view, and she theirs.

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Wow...so much elvish. So many elves too. Again, let me know if my elvish is horrendously wrong. I know one word is, as I could not find the elvish word for 'wrinkles' anywhere. I guess elves don't need that word when they stay pretty forever. Anyway, I'm glad so many of you guys really liked Rúmil, the flirty elf. And honestly, he's one of my favorites. I don't know why, but the personality I imagine he has just cracks me up, even though in the book he's barely even mentioned, and in the movie he only stands in the fuzzy background while Haldir gets all the attention. There will be more of this elf, rest assured.

Speaking of elves, when it came to Hattie's relationship with Legolas, one reviewer (daughterofthechief, hi, I love you) said: "I am looking forward to Legolas beginning to respect and treat Hattie as an equal rather than an inconvenience or duty and them sharing moments together of friendship." And that is what I am going for. As Legolas confessed earlier, he sees Hattie as a bit of a mystery, one that he's uncertain of and at times even suspicious of. And with the Lord and Lady giving her such odd respect and the secrets she had with Gandalf…well, let's say his curiosity will reach a peak soon and he and Hattie will have their first really long and heartfelt talk. Sort of what I did with Hattie and Boromir here, and their relationship will improve, which will be super exciting. As for this chapter, I felt that Hattie deserved a definite win against one elf since they are all treating her strangely and that one elf might as well have been Legolas. If anything, it gave Legolas the chance to see another side of Hattie and vice versa. I just hope it was too Mary-Sue, but that kind of goes for everything I write since that is a worry of mine. But hey, this is fanfiction, it's not always gonna be perfect.

As for the next chapter, will Hattie go home? She certainly hopes she will, but we here on fanfiction know better. So then just what is stopping Hattie from going home? Is it because Galadriel doesn't have the power to do so? What about the mysterious force that brought Hattie to Middle-Earth in the first place? And just what did Wolf mean all those chapters ago when he said that Hattie's refusal to leave him behind was what got them into 'this mess' in the first place? Hmm, I wonder…


	15. An Existential Crisis and a Bad Decision

**Chapter 15; An Existential Crisis and a Really Bad Decision:**

Wow, the fifteenth chapter mark! God, and I'm already over one hundred thousand words. Yeesh, how do you guys put up with me? Fair warning for what's ahead, this chapter is super dialogue heavy and throws a lot of exposition at you. I tried to make it not so much to take in at once, but Hattie does need her answers, and to an extent, so do you guys. It turned out to be the longest chapter I have ever written. Ever.

Oh, also, another sad dog death in this chapter. Sorry. Love you all!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Nothing was heard except the light footfall of the two women as they walked down the green bordered path. Hattie's footsteps were a bit more distinct than Ólerydwen's, she being less graceful and sure of herself than the tall elven lady. Hattie, in fact, felt sure that in a matter of seconds she would either faint from nerves or start crying for no reason at all. Well, she had a reason. She was going home. Finally after all this time. She hoped it wouldn't hurt. She just felt so excited and scared and nervous and sick and happy and shaky and sad and everything in between, flitting between one emotion and then the next in a matter of seconds until she felt she was going to burst.

"Is it much farther?" She had to ask after a while, hugging her journal closer to her chest. Looking around, Hattie found she couldn't recognize whatever part of Lothlorien they were in. They had been walking for a while now too, and all of the trees were washed in the purple haze of twilight.

"No." Ólerydwen answered, glancing over her shoulder as she walked on, "When you meet the Lady, you will thank her for her time. You will be polite, speak quickly and to the point, and above all, you will not touch the Lady unless she expresses otherwise."

Hattie, pretty certain that she would soon no longer have to put up with the elf, decided to talk back.

"Should I also make sure I never turn my back on her and curtsy?"

Ólerydwen stopped in her tracks. Without turning fully to face her, somehow the elf's posture was intimidating enough that Hattie took a step back, nearly tripping over the trailing sleeves of her dress.

"I will not tolerate any disrespect to the Lady. I have taken every care to obey her orders in regards to you and your wellbeing. As your keeper, your actions will reflect on me. So please," The elven lady then grinned threateningly, "be on your best behavior."

"Or…?" Hattie swallowed.

Ólerydwen didn't say as she strode forward once more, with Hattie having no choice but to follow after her. It wasn't like Hattie was planning on being rude to the Lady anyway. Not when she was her ticket home. Still, there was something about how she had been treated so far in Lothlorien that set Hattie on edge, even now.

 _So I had a keeper and a couple of guards…why do I sound more like a zoo animal than a guest?_ Hattie shook her head. Now wasn't the time for that. Especially when she started to recognize where she was as a marble stair led them down.

With a turn, the stairs lowered them into a sunken dell. Huge roots of the trees formed the walls, exposing dark earth and moss. A few statues in long robes bearing torches lined the space, but what really caught Hattie's attention was the trickling spring coming from the roots of one tree into a natural basin of stone. Nearby was the mirror of Galadriel and Galadriel herself. The famed mirror was perched flat on a short pillar, bound in vines and carved with stone and silver. On the rim of it sat a slender pitcher, which Galadriel seemed to have just set down as she turned away from it and towards Hattie.

Hattie felt like the air had been sucked out of her as the Lady's eyes met hers. She was even more beautiful than the last time Hattie had seen her. The dark circles under her eyes had disappeared, and the halo of light that seemed to emanate from her glowed all the brighter. Her hair was tucked behind her ears, rolling down her body in soft waves. Hattie casually wondered why Galadriel was the only elf she had met so far without any braids.

 _Maybe it's a fashion statement?_ Hattie blinked, realizing she had been staring. She looked down, concentrating on the cool grass beneath her toes when Ólerydwen stopped before the Lady.

" _Brennil Galadriel, sevin anna i'Aiano en i'Eleni."_ (Lady Galadriel, I have brought the Strange of the Stars.) Ólerydwen announced. The Lady smiled serenely.

" _Hannon lle, amin mellon."_ (Thank you, my friend.)

Ólerydwen put a hand to her chest and bowed her head. Turning to take her leave, Ólerydwen spared Hattie one more glare full of warning before disappearing through a stone archway across from the mirror. Hattie watched her leave, noticing the elven woman nod to an armored guard stationed on the other side of the archway. While Hattie wished to find it comforting that she wasn't going to be completely alone with the Lady, it only served to make her more nervous.

Despite how much she wanted this and to be here, Hattie found she couldn't meet Galadriel's studious gaze. Nothing was said by either of them for a while, and Hattie wondered if maybe Galadriel was reading her mind instead. But just the same as last time, Hattie couldn't hear anything.

"Good evening, _Aiano en i'Eleni._ " Galadriel eventually spoke. Her voice was soft, her words measured and rhythmic, like every syllable she uttered was a song in itself. It was unnerving how comforting it sounded.

"Good evening, um, My Lady?" Hattie answered, and despite her snide remark to Ólerydwen, she instinctively attempted to curtsy.

"I see Ólerydwen has warned you to be on your best behavior." Galadriel continued, her smile turning almost teasing, "I trust she has treated you well?"

"Y-yes."

"She spoke to me of how little you sleep. Do you not have every comfort you require?"

"No. I mean yes!" Hattie flustered, not certain what to make of all this small talk, "The bed's fine. I just…I have nightmares sometimes."

"Oh?" Galadriel prompted, but instead of answering, Hattie bit her lip.

This isn't what she thought their meeting would be like. But maybe Galadriel was being polite. Hattie wanted to ask if there was any way to just get to it already, but how does one go about asking a several-thousand-year-old woman to hurry it up without being rude?

"Well, I am glad everything is to your liking, and you are at ease. The dress you are wearing suits you. Ólerydwen took pride in its creation, I can tell. She had made something similar for my daughter once. Ólerydwen had served my beloved child as her lady-in-waiting for many centuries before she had to depart these shores."

"Elrond's wife? Oh, right. She had been…" Hattie started, only to stop herself. Galadriel quirked a brow at her silence, and Hattie tried to backtrack, "Sorry. I…I'm a bit…sorry."

 _I guess I'm really nervous, I'm starting to ramble. And it's not exactly polite to bring up how Galadriel's daughter had been captured and raped by orcs, now is it?_

It seemed that Galadriel could read her mind, as she understood the girl's sudden awkwardness. She raised a hand to pardon her of the transgression.

"No apologies are necessary," She said before thoughtfully adding with another smile, " _Estel_ spoke the truth to my husband then. Your knowledge of our history is impressive to say the least. He said you are an…arch-ee-ogolist? And so history is your profession where you are from, yes?"

"Y-yeah." Hattie nodded, feeling suddenly sick. What else did Aragorn tell them then? Everything? Hattie hoped that it was mostly told in a positive light, but Hattie hadn't always been on Aragorn's good side.

"Fascinating." Galadriel mused, stepping even closer so that Hattie could see the fine embroidery on her shimmering dress, "But of course, it is for your knowledge of the future that has captured the interest of many _._ "

"It has?"

Hattie guessed the small talk was over. Part of her was relieved, but Hattie had no idea what to expect next. Her feet couldn't seem to stay still, and she swayed side to side in anticipation.

"I must apologize. This meeting of ours has been delayed too long. There were many concerns that needed to be addressed. When you first came into the borders of my lands, I did not know what to expect from such a being as you. Your existence here is…extraordinary. I knew of other realms, knew of their existence in parallel to our own. And yet, unlike others, I did not believe it possible to manipulate them. Or to cross them."

Galadriel fixed Hattie then to the spot with a piercing gaze, one she couldn't avoid. Almost immediately, Hattie's head hurt. She tried not to let her face scrunch up in pain, but it was obvious to the Lady that she was uncomfortable.

"You are a miracle, _Aiano en i'Eleni._ For good or ill." Galadriel said, breaking eye contact swiftly to the relief of Hattie, "Do you know what that means, young one? _Aiano en i'Eleni?_ It is your title here. My people call you the Stranger of the Stars."

That was…that was interesting Hattie supposed. But then she brows knitted themselves together in confusion.

"So, wait, does that mean _everyone_ here knows I'm not from Middle-earth?" She asked, trying not to sound accusing as the Lady walked back towards the mirror.

Well, maybe she was a little. Here she was, trying so hard to pretend she was just a normal, if a tad odd, seer from the North, and Galadriel immediately blabs to everyone that she is from another planet via epithet? At least now the reason why every elf here stared at her made sense suddenly. But Gandalf told Hattie to keep her identity under wraps for a reason! Wasn't it dangerous or something?

 _Well, I mean, the world hasn't imploded yet, but come on! Tell a girl you're outing her! The nickname is kind of cool though, I will admit._

"It is not so easily hidden," Galadriel began to explain gently, "especially from elf eyes. We like the Ainur in spirit, the beauty of this world speaks to us. It is our mother tongue. And your body is bound in its magic, water, and earth, though your spirit brims with otherworldly forces. It is like a song. Familiar, yet warped in melody."

Hattie flinched at this information. Not all of it sunk in, but what she said about elf eyes made a chill run through her. Did that mean Legolas knew? This whole time? He knew she wasn't from Middle-earth at all, and that everything she told them about where she came from and why she was here was a lie? It certainly explained why he was always more prone to be suspicious of her, but that didn't explain his own behavior. When did he find out? Why didn't he say something? Why did he let her and Gandalf lie to the others? Why did he then defend her after Gandalf's death or when Aragorn tried to make her leave Wolf behind? Why keep her secret when he didn't like her all that much?

 _Wait, what does it even matter now? I'm never going to see him again, so I don't care. I don't!_

"Tell me, have you perhaps experienced the clash of magic in this world? Have you touched anything under enchantment?" Galadriel continued, and Hattie swallowed dryly before answering.

"I…I passed out when I touched the Ring. Gandalf said I nearly died because I come from a place with no magic, so I don't have a tolerance. It's why the Ring didn't even bother to tempt me," She shook her head, again going over what Galadriel had said, "I'm sorry, what's this about my body being magic and what?"

"Oh? Have you not noticed?" Galadriel frowned, looking Hattie up and down, "Your body is not your own. At least, not the one you had been born to."

The air, once again, was squeezed out of Hattie.

"It bears similarities, yes, enough to fool perhaps those who knew you in life. But have you not come to suspect anything? Old scars now gone, old maladies no longer taking their toll? What of your womanly bleeding? If my reasoning is correct, you have not bled since coming to this world."

At Galadriel's question, Hattie gasped in shock, the air going straight to her head and making her dizzy. Was Galadriel, _the_ Lady Galadirel...asking about her period? This was worse than that time Legolas found her in the river.

"T-that's-! I! S-stress can sometimes-! What?!" Hattie flustered, glowing red. She didn't even know how to respond to that kind of question.

It was true though, Hattie hadn't had her period yet since appearing in Middle-earth, and that had been many weeks ago. She counted it as a blessing in disguise since she didn't have much supplies with her. It didn't worry her so much, cause like she said, stress could delay menstruation for a while. Hell, even months. And Hattie was certainly stressed. As for the other stuff though...Hattie wasn't so sure. She remembered her driving license picture, how she had all those piercings in her ear and nose, but now the only jewelry she had was the locket. And that inhaler in her bag. It was prescribed to her for asthma, but she never needed it once since waking up. She kind of even forgot she had it until now.

 _Okay...so...then this isn't my body? But I'm still me, right? I look like me, mostly. What if she's just making this up? What if she isn't?_

Seeing the color suddenly drain from Hattie, Galadriel pressed on. Her voice became more soothing as if she was speaking to a child about to cry, which wasn't too far from the truth.

" _Estel_ has spoken to my husband about the circumstances of your finding the Fellowship. Of how you were found, lost in the woods near Rivendell. But, tell me, what has _Mithrandir_ told you? About the circumstances of your being summoned to this world?"

"I…I…" Hattie tried to speak, but her throat was too dry. She didn't really want to talk about this, but Galadriel probably needed some background information, so it was alright to tell her all this. Swallowing, Hattie tried again, hoping that if she got this over with quickly they could finally get to what she came here for.

"I had an accident of some kind. I got hurt, I was bleeding and crying out. Gandalf says it was possible someone here heard me. He said that since my world knew of Middle-earth and its future and stuff, but you guys didn't really have a clue about mine, there was an imbalance of some kind. And that imbalance made it easy for…something, to pull me over. I wasn't special or anything. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time. He said it would take a great power to do it."

"And this _power_ …did it brand you as well?"

"Brand?" Hattie frowned.

"Ólerydwen spoke of a mark upon her back. _Ilya i laurëa ná, mirilya lá, Queni yar ranyar ullumë vanwë umir_ , yes?" Galadriel asked before narrowing her eyes sternly, "Such a strange choice of words, yet the words of our language hold power, no matter what phrase they contain."

Hattie couldn't answer her for a minute. Ólerydwen had told Lady Galadriel about that? Well, she had also told her that Hattie hadn't been sleeping, so maybe it was just a concern of theirs. But it felt like there was more to it. Hattie found the questions that had been stirring in her mind since coming to Lothlorien start to point out something iffy going on here, but she did her best to ignore them as she tried to get the conversation back on track.

"I don't think I was branded. I mean, I don't exactly remember where my tattoo came from. I don't remember a lot of things, actually. But I don't think it was whatever brought me here. I _do_ remember everything about Middle-earth though, and Gandalf thought that would be useful to the Fellowship. So I made a deal with Gandalf. I would help out with guiding the Fellowship after he left, and in return, they would take me safely to you so you could take me home."

 _Not entirely sure what help I was supposed to give, as that's all over now. Oh well._

"Yes… _Estel_ spoke of how you had predicted _Mithrandir_ 's fall…" Galadriel hummed to herself in thought, before an almost amused smile appeared on her lips, "I see now his intentions. Though I cannot say I approve."

"Gandalf said that you could get me home," Hattie repeated, feeling a worrying knot form in her stomach. Galadriel then frowned.

"Did he?"

"Yes. Can you? Will you?"

This was the only question whose answer she cared about. What else was there to talk about? Now that Galadriel had all the background details, that should be it. Besides, Galadriel could see everything with her gifts, so she could figure out the rest for herself if she still wanted to know. So why the delay? Hattie wanted to go home.

She wanted it so badly that she started to shake again in anticipation. But the feeling in her stomach only got worse, and something in Hattie's mind decided to start preparing for the worst, as much as the rest of her wished to deny it. That effort was crushed the moment Galadriel looked at her with such a pitying expression that it intensified the headache from before.

"My dear child…I can do no such thing."

Hattie's knees almost gave, but somehow she fought to stay upright.

"You were summoned by a great power, yes, but by that great power alone you must be returned. And that, I'm afraid, will never happen."

"But…what? Why? I…I don't…" Hattie tried to form the words to the thousands of questions that now wanted to pour out of her. The knot in her stomach squeezed so tight she thought she was going to throw up. What even is this? Why would Galadriel say such a thing? Gandalf said she could get her home. Hattie put all her faith into that. She needed to put her faith in it. The possibility otherwise was something she forbade herself on even thinking about. And now...no, this wasn't supposed to happen!

"Until I felt your presence at the border of my lands, I myself had believed you to be dead. I had wish of it. I knew it would be a far kinder fate for you to pass quickly from this world and back to your own. And yet, there you were. Traveling with the Fellowship. I admit to being dismayed of this, and sought to halt you from entering any further." Galadriel touched her head then, grimacing at the memory, "I underestimated the magic that binds you to this world a second time, however, and it caused me great pains. The spell I cast...rebounded itself."

Hattie could barely hear her. There was a roaring in her ears now, blood rushing as her heart started to panic. What she could hear didn't make any sense. Galadriel had known she was here? Galadriel tried to stop her from entering Lothlorien? Galadriel had wanted her _dead?_

"It seems _Mithrandir_ was not entirely truthful with you." Galadriel added, again smiling but it was empty, "Magic does not have a greater effect on you because you are not tolerant of it. As I spoke before, you _are_ magic in part. And thus, any opposing force must either overpower you or submit to you. It is for this reason I could not stop you, and am denied insight into your mind."

None of this was making sense to Hattie. But threw the haze of her thoughts something clicked. Her fingernails dug into the leather cover of her journal as she made a terrible connection. Despite the pain it caused her, Hattie looked Galadriel in the eye.

"I had...I had a headache while walking through the woods. It felt like it was going to split my skull. It felt like…it felt like when I woke up in this world. That was you trying to stop me?"

Hattie shivered as Galadriel nodded. She started to back away from the Lady.

"What did you do? Did _you_ bring me here? To Middle-earth?"

"Nay. In fact, I acted to prevent it."

Hattie stopped, drawing in a shaky breath to try and calm herself down. She was willing to accept that. She could accept that, but not anything else Galadriel said.

"Okay. Then send me back."

The Lady quirked a brow.

"As I said, I cannot, young one."

"Yes, you can. Gandalf promised me, so you are going to do it. Please."

Hattie was now violently shaking. She wished Wolf was here, he would help her think straight. Right now the only thing she could do was beg. But that didn't seem to have any effect on Galadriel as she turned from her to pick up the pitcher on the rim of the mirror. With measured steps, she went over to the basin.

"Will you look into the mirror?" She asked. Hattie, recognizing the line, shook her head.

"No. I won't. Send me home."

"Even the wisest cannot tell what it will show, for the mirror shows many things." Galadriel continued as if she didn't hear her, filling the pitcher, and walking back to the mirror.

"I don't care!" Hattie shouted, causing the guard behind the archway to look their way, "I want to go home. Please, please, that's all I want."

"Things that were, things that are, and things that have not yet come to pass…"

"Please…please don't do this…I don't want to know anything, just send me home!" Hattie was crying now, watching Galadriel pour the water into the mirror helplessly. She didn't want to look. She didn't want to know what it would show. Home was all she wanted and it was beginning to look like that wouldn't be what she would be getting.

Hattie just…she couldn't accept that. She couldn't breathe. This wasn't what she had been promised. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Hattie had done what Gandalf asked. She had survived a troll, a warg attack, and Moria to get here. She lost Wolf over this. All to go home. But Galadriel only looked at her with that sad knowing gaze, feeding her despair.

 _Screw this. Just get it over with._

"Fine. You know what? Fine." Hattie suddenly seethed, her cheeks warm with tears. She threw her journal to the ground, marching over to the mirror. Her hands shook as she grabbed the rim.

"I'll look in your stupid mirror if that's what you want. But I will be going home tonight! You got that?"

Her tone was threatening, causing the guard to inch closer to the pair of them, but Galadriel was unphased. Perhaps she wanted to allow Hattie one moment of false bravado for the sake of her pride and sanity. She merely gestured for Hattie to look into the mirror. With another dry swallow, Hattie did.

* * *

Hattie blinked, and suddenly everything changed.

She didn't know how or why. She had thought it would be like a moving reflection that worked like a TV screen. But this…this was unexpected.

The mirror, Galadriel, and the guard were nowhere to be seen. She was in another forest, different from Lothlorien. These woods were saturated in reds and yellows, autumn leaves painting the ground. Birds were singing everywhere, chirping and tweeting and caroling with notes ranging from shrill to sweet. Nearby the fast flow of a small creek could be heard, though Hattie couldn't see it. It seemed to have just rained here as well, as the sweet rot of wet leaves captured the air around her.

It was all cruelly familiar.

"Am I…near Rivendell?"

Hattie turned around, looking at the ferns and lichen that took up the forest floor with her. It certainly looked like the woods she had woken up in. Why would the mirror show her this? _How_ was the mirror showing her this? It was total immersion; she could even feel a breeze pass through her hair! But the more she looked, the more she realized how strange this place was. It blurred every time she moved. Like an out of focus picture. Besides that, it was abnormally peaceful and serene.

It creeped her out.

With nothing else to do, Hattie started walking. The mirage or illusion, whatever it was, made her feel like she was making progress, wading through the leaves. In time she found a path, much to her relief. It broke the forest apart and revealed a somewhat steep ravine on one side. Not caring which was she went, she followed it.

Why was this something the mirror wanted to show her? Why did she go along with it? Galadriel was just stalling. How could she keep on saying that Hattie couldn't go home? That was just…that was a lie. Gandalf said Galadriel would get her home, and she would.

Some part of Hattie's mind wondered at her ability for denial…but a greater part found it was all she had right now keeping her sane. She rubbed at her cheeks, as they were feeling itchy as the salt of her tears dried on them. Stopping to take in a steady breath, Hattie then heard something moving towards her.

Turning, she couldn't see another around the bend of the path she just took, but the thing was gaining fast as it began running, smashing through some leaves as it revealed itself. It was a dog. No, it was Wolf!

"Wolf! Oh my god, Wolf! Come here!" Hattie cried, throwing herself down to her knees with her arms out. Wolf ran straight at her as fast as his legs could carrying him, his tongue lolling to one side. He was on a crash course right to her, and Hattie could almost feel his breath on her face. But when she went to close her arms around him, Wolf passed through her.

Immediately Hattie turned around, watching as Wolf continued to run on. She didn't feel him pass through her, and Wolf didn't seem to even know she was there. Half of her expected to hear his voice in her head, something she never thought she would miss. It only then occurred to her that this must be a vision of the past and Wolf a mirage.

It broke her heart.

"This is…this is bullshit," Hattie swore shakily as she watched Wolf stop to sniff at the base of a tree. It was Wolf alright, but something seemed off about him. He looked old. His muzzle was grey and one of his eyes was glazed over with a cataract, making it a milky white color. His walk, as excited as it was, had an odd gait as if his hips weren't working right. But it _was_ him. He had on the same collar.

 _That does it. This is over. I don't have to put up with this torture. How do I get out of here?_

Looking around for a way to exit, Hattie heard something else approach. Turning she saw herself.

"Wolf! Not so far! Dumb dog." The other Hattie shouted, and this time Wolf did respond. He trotted back over to the other Hattie's side, while the other other Hattie, the real Hattie, stood in front of her counterpart in shock.

The vision Hattie also looked different. She had the same piercings as shown on the driver's license and a rather large, visible cut under her chin. Just looking at it, the real Hattie remembered how she got it learning how to ride a bike. Her dad had let go of the seat too early, and she fell on concrete face first. She reached for her own throat then but knew it wasn't there.

As Wolf did before, he and vision Hattie passed through the real one. Still frozen, real Hattie watched helplessly as they continued down the path. It was then Hattie noticed that vision Hattie was carrying two very familiar bags. The bags that she even now had left back in her guest room here in Lothlorien.

"Oh god. What is this? What's going on?" Hattie whimpered, looking at vision Hattie's also familiar outfit. The same leggings, jacket, sweater and hiking boots Hattie had been wearing for weeks straight while she traveled with the Fellowship. The only difference was this Hattie still had that stupid pompom hat too.

Hattie turned away from herself, looking up to the deceptively blue sky.

"Show me the way home, you…you stupid water bucket!" She demanded, not certain if anyone could hear her. Was Galadriel seeing this too? Hattie didn't know, but she wanted out of here and out now. But the vision held strong, and it seemed she had no choice but to continue watching as vision Hattie took out a map.

"Let's see…less than a mile through the woods, and then we should be back on the road. From there, it's just a few more miles until we see Hadrian's Wall. Or kilometers I guess." Vision Hattie winced, folding the map back into her jacket pocket, "God, the Imperial system has messed me up. I'll never be able to convert."

Real Hattie burned with jealousy and grief as vision Hattie then leaned over to scratch Wolf's ear.

"How are you doing old buddy? Good?"

Wolf didn't respond but looked happy enough as any old dog could. That still bugged the real Hattie. Why was he old? The Wolf she knew couldn't have been more than a couple of years old, just past his puppy years. There was no way this Wolf could have taken down a Warg on his own.

"Well, not much further. We'll stop for lunch soon. Remember that cute little café Michael and Reagan took us to? I figured since it was on the path, we'd treat ourselves."

Those names didn't sound at all familiar to Hattie, but an image of a café did pop into her head then. She remembered they had really good tomato soup. She knew then that she was definitely in England, and even now remembered planning this walk. It was one of the tourist famous circular walks near Hadrian's Wall, which was not too far from the Roman Vindolanda she had been volunteering at before her abduction into Middle-earth. She had planned to do this during her downtime, wanting to see the Housesteads Roman Fort, the Roman Military Way, the Stanegate Roman Road, and the Chainley Burn Valley. The last place she had been before…

 _Oh, god, please no._

There was no denying it. This had to be the day she had fallen into Middle-earth.

 _Now I really don't want to be here._

Hattie definitely did not. She did not know what happened, not fully, but from her nightmares, she knew it wouldn't be good, and that was enough for her to start panicking. She looked everywhere for a way out, and when that didn't turn anything up, she started screaming to be let out. But nothing heard her. She started kicking at the leaves, but real Hattie's fit was cut short when vision Hattie let out a groan of pain.

"God…my back is killing me!" She moaned, reaching over to rub at her spine gently, "And that cream stuff stinks! Why did I get that stupid thing?"

Real Hattie again froze. Her back hurt? Was this about the tattoo? It had to be. She must have just gotten it before she went to go volunteer. Ha! She knew it! It wasn't a brand from whatever brought her over to Middle-earth.

 _I'm just the kind of white trash that believes they can rock a full back tattoo._

"I almost regret getting it," Vision Hattie continued to complain, "In a couple of years it's just going to be embarrassing. Remind me to never drink vodka ever again."

Wolf barked in excitement, seeing the white tail of a rabbit run across the path and down the slope of the ravine.

"Well, maybe some vodka every once in a while. Girl's gotta have some bad habits." Vision Hattie muttered to herself. Neither Wolf nor real Hattie paid any attention as the dog then started after the rabbit, instincts kicking in to give chase. Vision Hattie rolled her eyes.

"Wolf! Slow down! It's just a rabbit. Not like you haven't seen hundreds of those back home."

Home? The word rang through Hattie's head. Where was home for them? Maybe she was talking about her grandparents' place. But they were dead. Oh, wait, after their car crash, her dad moved back in with his new wife and daughter. But it wasn't quite the home Hattie had grown up with since her stepmom had redecorated the living room to match her minimalism tastes, which frankly did work well with the farmhouse vibe that-

 _Wait,_ Hattie stopped, _I remember that._ _I remember dad getting remarried and moving back into his parents' place after they died. He welcomed me to come and live with him and go to college nearby...but I didn't want to stay with him._

That was good to remember, she supposed. It didn't really make her feel much better however. At least she knew her familial state now. Hattie also remembered that Wolf was too 'big' for the house now, or so said her dad at any rate. That's why Hattie took the risk in bringing Wolf with her to a new country, something that was neither inexpensive or good to strain an old dog with. All this new information flooded her, and she remained frozen, not certain what to make of it.

"Wolf! Come back! Damn it." Vision Hattie shouted as Wolf, still keen on catching the rabbit, stood now at the edge of the ravine. Pulling herself out of her thoughts, real Hattie also looked over. The sloop there wasn't so steep, and it seemed the dog was considering going after the rabbit. He was pawing the ground as if working up the confidence to take a step. Vision Hattie started to jog over to him, ready to stop him.

"Don't you dare!" Vision Hattie warned, "You're too old and you'll get stuck and I will _not_ be going down there to fetch you."

Wolf's ears pricked up, hearing the command in his master's voice. But then some ferns down below rustled, and his interest was recaptured.

"I said don't! Don't! Do-!"

He did.

"Dumb dog. I swear, I shouldn't have let you convince me with those puppy eyes to let you come with me on this hike. You're not a trail dog anymore." Vision Hattie sighed.

The crash of leaves and branches as Wolf awkwardly making his way down didn't bode well, but Vision Hattie didn't seem all that concerned. She stopped, reaching into her bag to grab something. Just as Hattie recognized the dog whistle, that's when the sound of giving earth and Wolf's pained yip suddenly reached out.

"Wolf?!" Both versions of Hattie shouted in unison.

Together they both ran to the edge of the ravine. The path Wolf took down was easy enough to spot, but he was now hidden in the trees and ferns that lined the bottom. As real Hattie started to pick up the skirt of her dress to throw herself down, vision Hattie ran down as well. The both of them hurried quickly, sliding and slipping, but prompted to go faster as Wolf's whines became all the louder. It was an unnaturally painful sound, making both Hatties pale.

"Good boy, good boy. It's okay, I'm coming."

Hattie couldn't tell which one of them said this, but they both soon approached the bottom. The small creek trickled quietly, and near the base of an old tree was Wolf. He wasn't moving. And there was something sticking out of his leg.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"

They ran to him, but where vision Hattie could kneel down and gently cradle Wolf's head, real Hattie was entirely helpless. Vision Hattie inspected Wolf, gingerly touching his leg were bone now stuck out at a twisted angle. Wolf didn't react, he only kept on panting erratically, his cataract eye rolling over weakly. He must have slid down some distance to end up breaking his leg, whether by crashing into the tree or something hidden under the leaves, it didn't matter as Wolf's body then started to convulse.

"What's going on?! Why's he shaking?!" Real Hattie started screaming at her other self, but of course, it went unnoticed.

 _Why is this happening? God, don't make me lose him twice!_

"You dumb dog, don't you go into shock over this! Fuck!" Vision Hattie shouted at Wolf, looking around just as helplessly as her counterpart. One or both of them let out a sob. A broken leg might be survivable, but combine that with shock and old age...Hattie would need to move fast.

"Okay, okay Wolf. I'm going to pick you up." Vision Hattie then hissed as she looked up the ravine side, "There's a reason you don't go on trails alone Hattie. Fuck! You knew this!"

As gently as she could, vision Hattie slid her arms under Wolf. Limply he sagged in her hold as she hoisted him up, giving no sign of protest outside of another whine. It wouldn't be an easy or quick climb back up, but vision Hattie seemed determined to make it. Real Hattie, on the other hand, could only watch her where she stood, shaking too much to move.

"I don't want to see this. I don't want to see anymore! Please!" She screamed at the air, but just like before if anyone else was listening they didn't make a sign.

"We're not that far from the road. We'll call for a vet. You'll be fine, it's just a broken leg. You had worse." Vision Hattie said but whether to calm the dog in her arms or herself, who could say, "Remember when we first got you from the shelter and you got in a tussle with the dog down the street? That was worse than this."

Vision Hattie then slipped a little, falling to her knees a moment before forcing herself back up. The combined burden of the bags and the over one-hundred-pound dog was becoming too heavy for her to bear.

"Sorry Wolf, it's slippery. Hang in there, we're almost-"

She slipped again, but this time she fell backward. The moment her head hit the ground, there was a sickening crack as her skull met a stone that was hidden beneath the layer of leaves. Without a word or cry of pain, vision Hattie limply fell down the slope. Wolf was dropped from her arms, settling to lay motionless on the ground as vision Hattie continued to fall until she landed before the feet of real Hattie.

This had to be punishment for something. Hattie didn't what she had ever done to deserve this, but it must have been terrible. Worse than betraying Gimli's trust or starting the chain of events that led to Gandalf's death. Thousand times so. There was no way to brace for what happened next.

"Wolf…I'm…" Vision Hattie tried to speak, but the words that followed only came out as an intangible mutter as if she was becoming sleepy. Real Hattie watched in horror as a pool of blood slowly flowed out of the back her counterpart's head, dyeing the pompom hat vibrant red. Unconsciously, she reached to touch the back of her own head, almost imaging she could feel the gash that was now killing her. She was certain of it.

This was her death.

"Please…please, I don't want to die." Vision Hattie cried the sound choked as her lungs found breathing too exhausting.

"No, no! Please don't!" Hattie turned away from her own death, unable to bear anymore. She had died? Alone, in the woods, helpless? Was this how she had been sent over to Middle-earth? Why did Wolf have to die too? Did anyone find them? Or were they still here on the ground, their bodies rotten and unburied?

Then, a voice in the dark, familiar and terrible, called out to her.

 _"Little one…"_

It was that voice, that terrible and familiar voice. The one that made her tremble in her sleep. The moment it spoke, Hattie felt a pained ringing between her ears, sharp and concentrating in the same spot as the gash of her counterpart. Hattie wasn't the only one to hear it though, as her visionary self wildly looked around.

"Who's there?"

 _"Little one, why do you cry?"_

"Please, help me..."

 _"Come to me, little one. I will save you."_

"Yes! Please! I don't want to die!" Her dying self begged with the last air in her lungs before she shuddered, and went unnaturally still. The real Hattie could only watch as the light left her own eyes, remaining wide open. From where he lay on the ground, Wolf whined all the louder, he not far from death himself.

"Fuck! Why?!" Hattie gagged, wanting to walk away from the sight but still unable to move.

"Now you see…you made a bargain…"

Hattie looked up. Another voice, Galadriel's, was now speaking, though it sounded muffled as if one of them was underwater.

"What?"

"A voice from this world called out to you, and you answered. You accepted the cursed salvation it offered."

"So?!" Hattie screamed. How could Galadriel make her watch this? This was torture!

"Do you not know _who_ saved you?"

"No! I don't care!"

Hattie covered her ears, screwing her eyes tightly shut. She didn't want to know any more. This was too much to bear already. There was a reason Hattie never asked questions; the truth was poisoning her.

Silence fell and minutes passed. All Hattie could hear was her own heart beating wildly, alive despite what she had just seen.

When Hattie felt it was safe to reopen her eyes, she wasn't all that surprised to see that the woods were now gone. So was her body and Wolf. In their place was a room of black walls, the air close and thickly perfumed with smoke from dozens of lit candles. Despite this, there was little light, and not even the iron wrought window nearby could allow Hattie to see all the corners of the room. What she could see was not any comfort. On a table nearby were scrolls and odd curios such as animal jaws and jars filled with rotting flesh suspended in liquid.

But in the middle of the room, laid just behind Hattie so that she didn't see it until she turned around, was a naked person. No, not a person. It was in the shape of one, yes, but it was featureless. No face, no fingers, no genitals. Its skin was wet and shiny and bright white, and the smell of clay strongly wafted from it.

 _Oh, yeah, that's not remotely terrifying._ Hattie shuddered.

"What is this?" She asked, but it came as no surprise to her that Galadriel was no longer talking. Hattie did hear something though, coming from outside the window. Seeing little options available to her, she went over to investigate.

She was in some kind of tower, as the ground was hundreds of feet away. Below was a courtyard that stretched for nearly a mile, barren of green but filled with gashes of earth and crudely built huts and cranes. There were little figures down below, mining in the earth. Hattie could tell even from this distance they weren't human. There came a loud groan of wood, almost a scream, and Hattie looked to the end of the courtyard in time to see a tree at the edge of a great forest fall. The figures that had chopped it down then started to drag it away towards the smoke.

"I'm in…Isengard?" Hattie realized, "What does this have to do with me?"

As if on cue, the double doors to the room opened, and in stepped the wizard who owned the black tower of Orthanc.

Saruman.

He was an old man with a long face, dark eyes, sharp nose, and a high forehead. His hair and beard were white with an out of place black stripe that went down from his stern mouth. The robes he wore were, of course, white, but strangely so. As he moved towards her the folds shimmered and changed color a thousand times, like they had been woven with everything that ever existed. He was otherworldly. Such as strange contrast to the more down-to-earth Gandalf Hattie had come to know.

With his staff of black in hand, Saruman stood opposite the sculpture from Hattie. His eyes were so piercing that she swore that he could see her standing in the room with him. Saruman lifted his hands, raising the staff over the clay body, while one hand reached over to an orb placed on the table that Hattie had no noticed before. It was a swirling black, but as Saruman's hand clawed over it, a spark of red ignited it.

 _That's…that's a palantír._ Hattie realized, frozen in fascination.

 _"I'qapta anaië mak. Sin súyami coi sio ambar, yaltë i'fásë sio ento."_ (The covenant has been forged. Now breathe in the life of this world, bridge the gap of the next.)

Saruman's voice was cold and ageless. It made her sick to hear it, and the pain at the back of her head slowly came back.

 _"Carmi canta io a iië pelo. Carronda mi fána úrimë sairinao."_ (Cast in the shape of the one who is bound. Make firm in the white heat of magic.)

At his words, the body slowly started to change. Shifting and stirring into something more human. When it started to take the shape of herself, Hattie was struck still in disgust.

 _"Antaóma i'ana aiano. Liatú-"_ (Give voice to the stranger. Bind-) Saruman seemed near to the end of whatever this horror was when Hattie nearly fell to her knees as the sharp agony in her head reached a peak. In the same frame of that second, a white flash of light overcame the room, dying as quickly as it appeared. It had not caused any harm, but the body on the floor no longer looked like Hattie, but its original featureless self.

Hattie, curled up in pain, could barely hear the wizard hiss a curse before going over to the window. Throwing it open, he pointed at the barest patch of blue sky that could be seen with the end of his staff.

" _Liatú i'ana Laimë mi Ambalar!" (_ Bind them to the Shadow in the East!)

Another flash of light and the clay body was gone. But this time Saruman was smirking in satisfaction.

* * *

The next thing Hattie knew, she was being thrown back from the mirror. She landed with a loud thud, jolting her lungs into working again as though she had been drowning. The headache was gone, but the rest of Hattie wasn't feeling so good.

Helplessly she glanced around, and the first thing she saw was Galadriel standing by.

"I know what you saw, for it is also in my mind." The elven lady sadly shared, but Hattie was still swimming in images that had flooded her brain to understand what she was saying. Wolf's fall, her own death, Saruman, what did it all mean?

 _You know what it fucking means. You just don't want to accept it._

Hattie shook the thoughts out of her head, desperate to play ignorant a little longer.

"What...what happened?"

"The effects of the mirror's magic has taken its toll on yours. It will show you no more, for fear of overpowering you by immersing you too deeply."

Hattie glanced at the mirror, and to her surprise, the water was smoking. She stood up, again shaking her head.

"N-no, I mean what happened? What was that light? What was he saying? Am I really-"

She couldn't say it. Even though she had just seen it, she just couldn't say that word. So Galadriel said it for her.

"Dead?"

"Yeah." Hattie nodded. But Galadriel shook her head

"I cannot say."

"Well say _something!_ " She screamed in frustration, and again the guard on the other side of the stone archway stirred closer to them.

Despite how much effort she had been willing to put in the past to keep those pesky doubts and questions about her sudden appearance here in Middle-earth at bay, the answers still found her. And they were far worse than she could have ever imagined. Now, without denial to comfort her, Hattie needed the next best thing. Some form of truth. And in there, somewhere, she had to find something to hold onto, some hope to keep the world from crashing down on her. It was getting lost in the things she didn't understand. And there were so many.

"The light you saw was from my interference," Galadriel began, slowly walking to the other side of the mirror as she lovingly ran her fingers over its rim, "Once the treachery of Saruman had reached our ears, I looked to the south to keep a careful watch. I looked and saw many terrible things beyond my power to prevent. But then I saw Saruman's intentions to summon one not of this world. One who might know of things yet hidden from all of us, and use them for his new master. I had thought the White Wizard to be a skeptic of this possibility, but it seems he believed as Gandalf did, perhaps more. I had no time for council, no chance for contemplation. Once you had agreed to cross here on the promise of life, Saruman began to bind you to as a golem."

"A gol...what, like Smeagol?" Hattie wrinkled her nose in disgust.

 _Oh, please no. Anything but that._

"Nay. A golem." Galadriel repeated, "A creature made with the body of clay, water and magic, given life by an unsuspecting spirit bound by incantation and inscription. A golem will only serve the master that had created it, with no mind, no feeling, and no soul to call their own. I believe Saruman has been practicing this kind of magic for some time, unwittingly creating new monsters for his army that are born from the ground crawling like maggots. Half-men, half-orc, stronger than both and forged in the earth."

That line sounded familiar. In the overwhelmingness of Galadriel's speech, Hattie was at least able to grasp onto one thing.

"Uruk-hai."

The Lady nodded, confirming the suspicion.

"You are the perfection of those efforts by Saruman, sharing the same earth and water of birth. You are everything those monsters are and more, for they were bred into being where you were instilled with magic and spirit. This body of yours is stronger than that of your human self, though it can be harmed and destroyed. Yet it cannot be brought down by sickness or age. You are as of the earth, as of stone, and marble, and mountain. Perhaps, as the mountain is worn by the wind and the stone by the sea, you may one day grow worn, but ages will pass before such time comes."

"You mean like...I won't grow old?" Hattie interpreted. It was just one bombshell after another, and like the others, Hattie didn't know what to make of this one. Acting in defense, her mind and body were becoming numb. Shock was taking over, which was a blessing in disguise. So this revelation wasn't any more or less astonishing than the others.

"Immortality is often thought to be a blessing, young one," Galadriel spoke softly, knowing the weight of her words, "Yet for you, I know it can only offer grief. It was necessary for Saruman to create such a powerful body. It would not be possible to take and keep your spirit from your world to this one otherwise. It was easy for Saruman to call you forth, but it tested the limits of his powers to keep you here. You are, without doubt, a miracle of creation, if volatile."

The softness in Galadriel's voice then faded, and she looked at Hattie harshly. Under normal circumstances, it would have caused her to shudder or maybe take a step back, but Hattie now only blinked up at her curiously.

"And you agreed to the bargain for that body. You yourself provided the inscription to bind you, painted willingly one your own back, and you would have served to bring the doom of this world had I not cast my power against you."

Hattie nodded, whether, in understanding of what was said or agreeing with Galadriel over the consequences of her own weakness, it wasn't certain to either of them. All Hattie could think about was what Wolf had said to her once when she had bothered to ask why she was chosen to come to Middle-earth rather than anyone else.

 _'Nothing. It was a simple matter of convenience…'_

Wolf was right. Hattie had been very convenient. She had the mark for the inscription, and she begged so easily to be saved the moment she started to die. It was very convenient for Saruman that she had been so scared and desperate and stupid. Everything just lined right up for him, didn't it? But could Hattie really be blamed for that? She was, _literally_ was, in the past tense at least, human.

"I had thought to send your spirit back, and allow you the peace of death within your own world, thus undoing Saruman's work before he could finish the incantation. But rather than take chance and wait for another like you, Saruman cast the body of the golem to meet your spirit before I could fully take it from his grasp. In meeting, you and the body became bound as his intention, keeping you here in Middle-earth. This I did not know, and I had believed in Saruman's failure to summon one from another world and you returned to yours. You must have fallen just beyond our sights, waking to a new world with no memory of what took place, but your soul your own due to Saruman being unable to complete his incantation."

"I fell and that's why I couldn't remember things?" Hattie asked, piecing more together, but then she cleared her throat, and attempted to go back to what she had been asking before, "But, wait, I'm dead? Back home, my body is dead?"

"I cannot know. It could be that since your spirit is here, your body may be suspended from true death. My sight cannot see so far though." Again, Galadriel shook her head, but this time Hattie wouldn't let that be it. Shock was working well for her, as her thoughts were becoming somewhat clearer, at least clear enough to question her unique situation.

"But maybe I can still go back, right? You did whatever with my spirit before so you can send me back!"

"It is true I had the power to send your spirit back whilst Saruman summoned you, but that was before it was bound to this earthly form. Though you are not fully under his power, it is only by Saruman's will you can be sent back. By his power and his power alone."

Hattie shivered then, remembering the wizard's horrible voice.

 _"Little one...come to me..."_

 _Was that his voice? It was just as cold but the voice in my dreams also sounded more…alluring. More enticing, as if I was being seduced…_

Regardless, Hattie pressed on.

"But what if my spirit and this...this body were separated? Couldn't you send me back then and maybe I will just wake up in my old body?" A part of her couldn't believe what she was saying. A bigger part wondered if that was an option, how easily she would do it. Suicide was never very appealing except to the desperate she supposed.

For a third time, Galadriel shook her head, and Hattie was starting to lose the comfort of being numb.

"Nay. You have been in this form, this world, too long. Perhaps if it occurred sooner…but it is too late now. You would sever from the body if it was destroyed, yes, but you would be as a shade upon this land, too connected to the ties of this world to leave it for your own even if your true body still lived. And yet, as you are not born of this world, you will never know peace. Never will you enter the Halls of Mandos, but be doomed to wander forever."

This was hardly good news. Needing something to do with herself, Hattie went over to where she dropped her journal, picking it back up with shaking hands. It gave her another question.

"Okay, okay. But what about my stuff? My clothes? Saruman didn't just bring over me, but my bags too. Why didn't he just summon a book about the Fellowship? God, there are hundreds of thousands of those things but only one of me. So why me?!" She spoke a little louder than she intended to, but the guard did not respond. Perhaps he could hear the desperation in her voice and knew it was no threat. Galadriel, however, looked as if Hattie had thrown a knife at her heart.

"Books on the Fellowship? You mean the knowledge of this world's future is written?"

"Yes! I told Gandalf this! Hell, I have the Silmarillion in my bag, and that has practically everything on you elves! Why didn't he take one of those, wouldn't that have been easier?"

Galadriel again looked shocked and turned from Hattie. The Lady paced a while around the mirror, her measured steps not as self-assured as before. It seemed, for the first time since meeting, that Hattie had managed to surprise Galadriel with her words rather than vice versa.

 _I guess she doesn't know everything. But is that supposed to comfort me or no?_

"It would have been far easier, yes," The lady eventually spoke, "With no soul, it may be possible for objects to traverse to and fro by lesser power than it took to summon you. Perhaps Saruman, like myself, did not know such knowledge was so easily available in your world. And we shall hope he never does learn this, or this world will fall…"

Hattie wished that she could feel sorry for the Lady's situation. This was really bad news for Middle-earth after all. But Hattie was still rather hung up on her crisis.

"What about Wolf?"

"Wolf?" The Lady stopped her pacing to frown, "That was the hound, yes?"

"He was old! He…he didn't look like that! He was strong! He took down a warg for fuck's sake!"

Again, somehow, Hattie had managed to surprise Galadriel as the Lady's eyes grew wide.

"Are you saying your hound came into this world _with_ you?"

"Yes! And he could talk! Dogs back home can't talk!" Hattie said louder before her voice went into a shocked whisper as she realized something, "Oh my god, that's what he meant. In Moria, when I said I would never leave him behind…he said that was what got us into this mess in the first place. That's what he meant. He felt like he had been responsible. He felt guilty and he was trying to make it up to me by protecting me here. Oh god, Wolf..."

This revelation caved what little calm numbness Hattie had been holding onto these past few minutes. She started to shake and her breath came as short pants.

"The animal is no longer with you?" Galadriel deduced from Hattie's tone before musing, "Perhaps, as you were both mortally wounded, the animal's soul came with yours when you were summoned. That does not account for him being of physical body..."

To Hattie's surprise, the Lady then shook her head and laughed.

"Young one, I'm afraid I find myself having more questions than answers for you. Such a rare occasion for one such as myself. But I suspect that Saruman, as I, was not aware of your animal's crossing." Seeing Hattie's distress, Galadriel's expression once more softened kindly, "And yet, for such a creature to traverse worlds with you, by whatever means, it must have loved you dearly."

A part of Hattie really wished Galadriel hadn't just said that. Because with little prompting, tears started to fall onto her still burning cheeks. Oh, god. How she wished Wolf was with her now. She really needed someone, something, to hold onto right now. But Galadriel had ripped everything Hattie had tried to keep hope in. Wolf probably would not have made any difference to this, but at least Hattie wouldn't be alone in this horrible world. Alone forever.

"For now...I confess I do not know what will come." The Lady continued, and Hattie looked up at her fearing what more bad news was now coming, "I had sought to send your spirit back. Then, upon seeing you on the borders of my land, I sought to repel you. To prevent you from doing further damage to this world and its fate. When that proved to no avail, I thought to keep you under guard until such time you could be dealt with. But you quickly proved to be under no will but your own, and Saruman himself does not seem aware of your survival. It would not bode well if he were to discover you, however."

"What are you going to do to me?" Hattie asked, fearing the worst. Galadriel made it no secret she had tried to get rid of her, so maybe she would try again? The Lady held up her hand to placate her before she could become too afraid though.

"I would not see you punished for things beyond your understanding and not of your doing. You are but an innocent pawn, and yet, a dangerous one. But I hold a responsibility to what you may bring to this world because of my failure to prevent your coming, and because of this, I cannot allow you to leave Lothlorien."

"So I'm trapped here?" Hattie choked, "Forever?"

Now Galadriel's kind expression fell, and it gave way to pity again. It was worse than anything she had ever said before.

"I cannot offer you any words of comfort, young one, for there are none. I am sorry."

The both of them then fell into a tense silence. It went on several moments until Hattie realized then that there was nothing more to say. What else was there? Hattie could not think of anything more she could ask that might shed a better light on her situation. There was not way to better it. She was trapped here. Forever. Literally forever, if that stuff about her body was true. She couldn't even die properly, not unless she wanted to be some kind of ghost or whatever. There was no way to go home. The one thing she wanted more than anything, going so far as to lose Wolf over it, and it would never come true.

Hattie chuckled, and the sound and humor in it hollow.

"This…this really blows, you know that?" She smiled at the Lady, and remembering her manners, again attempted a curtsy, "Thanks for your time, I guess."

Without another word, Hattie turned to take her leave. Not certain where to go, she headed for the stone archway. Passing through it, the guard made a move to follow her, probably thinking he would be her escort when a command from the Lady kept him in place.

 _"Leithiadín…"_ (Let her be…)

Hattie walked on, not certain if she wanted to be alone. She guessed that now the truth was out, Galadriel felt it wasn't necessary for Hattie to be kept under constant watch. Funny how that suspicion, as much as Hattie had tried to deny it before, had been true. And for good reason.

Saruman had brought her here to Middle-earth. Hattie had been brought here to help bring about everyone's doom. To help the bad guys win. But that hardly mattered to Hattie. She never cared who summoned her and for why. All she wanted was to go home. And because it was Saruman who summoned her, it was impossible for Galadriel to send her back. It was impossible for her to go home. The one thing she wanted more than anything, and it was the one thing she wouldn't have. She couldn't even register yet the possibility of her functional immortality. All that that was white noise to the repeated knowledge that she could not go home. She could never go home again.

She would be alone in this world forever. She had nothing left. No home, no family, no Wolf. Not even her own body. A well of emotions took over. At some point, Hattie was not certain, she had picked up her dress and started running. How could this not be her own body? It felt like it. Her lungs were screaming for air even now as she kept on running, not caring where she went. Maybe she would just keep on running until she made it out of the woods of Lothlorien. But what good would that do? Besides, Galadriel said she would never leave Lothlorien. Maybe Hattie would try and escape anyway, just for something to do. What did someone do with eternity anyway?

 _This…this is too much. I can't…I can't do this anymore…_

Hattie stopped, out of breath and out of motivation to keep going. She realized then that she had dropped her journal, but couldn't bother to care right now. Beyond exhausted, Hattie leaned against a tree near the path she had been following. The bark felt rough against the palm of her hand. No, not her hand. The hand of whatever _thing_ Saruman had made her into. Oh, god. She wasn't even human anymore. He had taken everything from her. Him and Galadriel both, in their own way. Hattie was no longer human. She had lost her memories. Lost her one friend, her home, and even the peace of death.

A sudden and deep-seated hate won out among the tumult of emotions in Hattie. A gut reaction urged her to ball her hand into a fist, and she hit the tree. The bark scraped at her knuckles, hurting her.

How could it hurt? This body was supposed to be strong, wasn't it?

Hattie hit again, and the abrasions grew redder. She hit again, and this time there were little beads of blood leaking out at her knuckles. Again. This time part of the tree gave, a chunk of bark falling off. No way had she ever been strong enough to do something like that before. But if she was strong, then why couldn't have saved Wolf? Maybe if she had bothered to ask all these questions sooner, he would still be with her and she wouldn't have had to go through the pain of losing him twice. She hit the tree again. And again. Another piece of bark came off, bearing the wood beneath. This didn't make sense. It was starting to hurt less the more she hit it. Was it some mind over matter shit? Again and again. There was a crack, and this time it was a part of Hattie that gave way as a bone in her pinkie broke. But she didn't stop. She kept hitting the same spot over and over again. And again. And-

Someone came up behind her and grabbed her wrist. Hattie was turned forcibly away from the tree and towards the offender, meeting face to face with Legolas. Her jaw dropped as his eyes met hers, burning her with their intense color, and the suddenness of his appearance forced out whatever had held sway over her. For once she found that unreadable expression of his comforting as her short, quick breaths filled the small space between them.

"Miss O'Connor, what has you so distressed?"

Hattie flinched, breaking eye contact with the elf to look behind him. It was Aragorn who spoke, and near him were the other members of the Fellowship. Each had some mixture of horror, confusion, or concern on their faces. It only now occurred to Hattie that she had, somehow, wandered back to where the Fellowship slept.

When she didn't answer, the Ranger came over. Wordlessly, Legolas pulled the hand of Hattie he had captured and presented it to Aragorn. One glance at it and the man's alarm increased.

"You have broken your finger!" He exclaimed, but Hattie could barely register what he was saying. Her eyes went back to Legolas's. The hate from before had built itself up again as she recalled one of the many troubling things that had been revealed to her.

"You knew I wasn't from Middle-earth."

Both the Ranger and the elf stilled, both equally confused by this utterance. But after a moment, Hattie thought she saw a flash of recognition in Legolas's eyes and seethed.

"You knew the moment you saw me in that river, didn't you?" She asked, though she already knew the answer. When she saw Legolas give a small, barely perceptible nod, she lost all control. She yanked her hand from him and stuck the middle of his chest with it. Someone behind them let out a startled gasp.

"You knew! This whole time you knew, and you just let Gandalf lead me on?!" Hattie shouted, hitting him again and again. It wasn't doing anything besides ruining his silk shirt, but he did not move to stop her and she refused to. If she stopped, she would have to go back to being hopelessly lost, and right now it was so much easier to be angry. She wanted to hate something, someone. Gandalf wasn't here, and neither was Saruman. Hattie was pretty certain that if she so much as looked at Galadriel wrong, she would get herself killed. So all that left her with was the elf who had started all of this by finding her.

"Miss O'Connor, of what falsehood do you accuse the wizard of?" Aragorn asked, torn between the strange allegation and Hattie's abuse of his friend. Again, Hattie ignored him as she yelled up at the elf.

"Why didn't you shoot me when you first saw me? Galadriel said that would have been kinder if I died sooner! Maybe I could have been sent back! So why didn't you kill me?!" She accused, and Legolas's hard expression broke, showing great dismay. Finally, he moved, but rather than grab her hand by the wrist again, he trapped her against his chest with both arms, holding her close. Hattie refused to be kept still and thrashed against him. More tears stung her eyes, surprising her that she had so many left.

"I looked up to you guys! I fucking idolized you! And now I'm stuck here forever because of you all! He took everything from me! You took everything from me! I hate you all!" At this point, Hattie wasn't aware of what she was shouting. All she knew is that it all came from a place of hate and that it was wrong, but she couldn't stop.

"Miss O'Connor, please, what do you speak of? What did the Lady Galadriel tell you?" Aragorn again tried to ask, hoping to find some way to diffuse her.

The only answer he got was a sob as Hattie found it useless to struggle anymore. She gave up entirely, letting her knees give out until she was completely dependent on Legolas to hold her steady. As she feared, the moment her anger dissipated, all she was left with was absolute misery. Already she wanted to take back what she said, but only a few words could be discerned through her now tight throat.

"No…god…I'm sorry…I didn't mean…she said…I can't go home…"

Aragorn fell silent then, understanding enough. Hattie buried her face into Legolas's chest, dragging in the scent of rain and cedarwood into her lungs between her sobs. Despite her previous protest, she now clung to the elf, hands tightly grabbing the material of his shirt. When she started to hiccup pathetically, she felt a hand stroke her hair as Legolas whispered strange words of comfort in her ear.

 _"Quildë, pîn er. Quildë…"_ (Hush, little one. Hush…)

 **~o0o~**

Three days had passed. Maybe. Hattie couldn't really be sure, as she had spent them in the guest chamber that had been prepared for her. She vaguely recalled Legolas carrying her up to it, accompanied by a suddenly appearing Ólerydwen, but Hattie hadn't left it since. She was just too exhausted. Mentally, emotionally, physically. It was a good thing she supposed because that meant Hattie spent the majority of her time sleeping, leaving only a few hours of the day to contemplate on all that had been revealed to her. =

Hattie was stirred awake at a sound, realizing it as the footsteps of Ólerydwen climbing the stairs towards her chamber. Soon enough, the voices of her and the guard posted by the door conversing reached Hattie, followed by the door opening.

Hattie could only see the bare feet of Ólerydwen, which stopped by the edge of the bed.

"You did not even touch this one." She commented, probably referring to the tray of breakfast on the bedside table. She took it, replacing it with today's evening meal. Ólerydwen then sighed in exasperation, a foot tapping impatiently.

"Are you ever going to come out from under there, human? Perhaps you wish to get dressed?"

From her hiding place under the bed, Hattie shook her head.

"No…I don't think so. It's comfy here."

It wasn't exactly the most mature way to handle her new situation, but Hattie didn't feel like giving it up. With several pillows and blankets, she had built a world of pure comfort for herself underneath the bed, the dark tight place acting as her only source of security. Maybe if she bothered to think on it, she might recall a childhood memory or two that showed similar behavior when she faced difficult times, but Hattie didn't want to think.

Were reason failed, instinct prevailed. Apparently, Hattie's instinct liked to hide away. Denial was so much more comforting after all.

Eating and bathing took too much effort and presented dangerous opportunities for lucidity. So Hattie did nothing but sleep. In her sleep, it was dark and quiet, and sometimes she had happy dreams. Often, she had her usual nightmares, but now that she knew where they came from, they weren't half as frightening. More annoying actually. Besides that, there wasn't much else to do. Oh, sure, Hattie could reflect on her situation more, but it was pointless.

She could never go home. Worse, she could claim nothing as her own. Her memories were lost and so was her only friend, and not even this body was hers.

Maybe, maybe if she had something to hold onto, she might realize that there was still a chance. If her body was somehow not rotting in the middle of a forest, then she might still get home. But only if she convinced Galadriel to let her leave with Fellowship, and then only if she somehow survived the attack at Amon Hen and Helms Deep. Then, maybe, after the fall of Isengard by the Ents, when it was safe to approach in the White Wizard's defeat, Hattie might get a chance to confront Saruman. Maybe, _maybe_ , she then could convince Saruman to send her back since he was the only one who could. But that was a lot of conjecture. Too much.

And why would the wizard help her anyway? Hattie had little incentive to offer him, or herself, to go to such lengths. Not to mention the risks involved to get to that point in the story. If she died, then there really was no escape from this place. Besides, what would be the point? Her childhood home now belonged to her father's new family, and there was no room for her. The grandparents that had raised her were dead, and with mother missing and Wolf gone…what was the fucking point?

 _Dammit. I'm spiraling again._ Hattie grimaced.

She really hated how many of these self-pity sessions she had been having of late, but there was little to keep them at bay. Sometimes she would purposefully move her broken finger, jolting whatever thoughts plagued her out with the pain. But it was on the fast track of healing despite it all thanks to Ólerydwen's efforts, and soon Hattie just might have to resort to pinching herself.

Despite everything, as time passed, Hattie blamed Saruman less and less for this situation she found herself in. It had been her own fault anyway. She had accepted the bargain. No one forced her to. Hattie couldn't even really blame herself. It was human nature to want to survive, no matter what. Probably very few, if any, could claim they would do something different. Perhaps some might not be so stupid as to go hiking alone with an old dog, but really the rest was just so unpredictable it was almost hilarious to think anyone could rightly tell Hattie she did wrong. Still…whatever happened next would be her own damn fault.

 _What will happen next?_ Hattie wondered; _I can't leave Lothlorien. I guess I could learn Elvish. At least then I might actually have something to read for the rest of eternity. God, I'm bored already._

"Very well," Ólerydwen sighed exasperatedly, "but you have a visitor."

Hattie only found this mildly surprising. She had been expecting at some point or other, for Aragorn to show up to get whatever truth he could out of her. He was responsible for the Fellowship now. From what she had sobbed at him and Legolas before, it only made sense that he would eventually come to set some things straight.

 _I guess I should get this over with then._ Hattie sighed to herself.

"Let him in I guess." Hattie consented as she started to wriggle her way out from under the bed. She took with her a blanket to wrap herself in, only marginally embarrassed that she was wearing nothing but a nightgown and her hair was a greasy mess of tangles. Numbly she set herself on the edge of the bed, not paying attention as Ólerydwen showed in the visitor before leaving and shutting the door behind her. Hattie's guest remained by the door for some time, seemingly unsure what to do with themselves, until eventually, they spoke.

"Miss Hattie?"

Hattie glanced over, recognizing the voice belonged to Boromir much to her surprise. He stood there, awkwardly, with his hands behind his back. He was in a simple jerkin and hose, looking very uncomfortable in the delicately decorated room.

"Oh…um, hi?" Hattie spoke, uncertain what to really say. Taking in her appearance, Boromir was unable to hide his distress.

"Miss Hattie…" He frowned, his expression showing great concern before he tried to school it to a more polite façade "Are you well?"

Hattie almost laughed but decided to say nothing. She had no idea why he was here. Aragorn she had expected, but Boromir? Maybe Aragorn asked him to go in his place, but Hattie couldn't think of any reason why Aragorn would.

"I had found this," Boromir spoke up eventually, revealing her journal from behind his back, "I thought perhaps you would like it back in your possession."

Without prompting from her, Boromir came closer to set the journal on the edge of the bed beside her. Not knowing what else to do with himself with Hattie remaining motionless and quiet, he welcomed himself to sit at the chair by her vanity. There, he leaned forward, his head bent down as if he planned to remain there for hours.

"So…" Hatti eventually breathed out awkwardly. What the hell did he want? She just wanted him to leave so she could crawl back under the bed. Did he want to accuse her of being a witch or spy again? That made sense, given what she had said to them all earlier. To buy time for herself to come up with responses for that eventuality, Hattie gestured to her evening meal tray.

"Do you want anything to drink? Or, um, eat?" She asked him, but Boromir quickly shook his head.

"Nay. But please, you should enjoy it while everything is still fresh. You lady-in-waiting has told us of how little you eat."

"Ólerydwen told you that?" Hattie quirked a brow at the Prince-Steward, wondering at his tone of concern. An expression close to guilt came over the reddish-haired man. His voice was hesitant when he spoke.

"She has spoken to the Fellowship several times to explain…many things."

 _Uh-oh. That doesn't sound good._

Hattie narrowed her eyes.

"What things?"

Boromir did not say, nor did he look up to meet her eyes. There apparently was a spot on the floor that held his fascination. But that was answer enough for Hattie. She breathed out a sigh, feeling oddly light.

"So how much do you guys know? Everything?"

"Yes, or very much close to such. Though I confess that most of it is beyond my comprehension." Boromir paused then, forcing himself to look at Hattie before he continued, "They say you are not from any lands we know of. That you are from somewhere even beyond the Grey Haven…beyond our stars."

Causally, Hattie shrugged.

"Then your being from the Northern Wastes was a falsehood?"

"Yeah. Gandalf figured it would be better for everyone if they didn't know I was an alien."

"A what?" Boromir frowned. Hattie backtracked.

"A Stranger from the Stars. He probably didn't want you guys to freak out."

So, the Fellowship knew she wasn't of this world. This was…this oddly okay. It felt nice actually. Finally, she didn't have to cover for herself anymore. She didn't have to watch what she said as much. It was really nice of Ólerydwen to have gone through all that trouble to talk to the Fellowship, probably to put them all at ease. It begged the question of why Gandalf did hide it all in the first place, especially if Legolas knew from the get-go that Hattie wasn't of this world. Maybe the wizard had told the elf to keep it to himself? Or maybe Gandalf also knew it had been Saruman who had summoned Hattie, and simply didn't want her or the others to freak out. It would have been a lot to take in all at once for her, definitely. It was still too much even right now.

"Yes, I can see how that would seem like wisdom. Many of us were suspicious enough when you came to us when you were but a simple seer. And now…" Boromir shook his head, having trouble comprehending what he was saying as if still in shock over it, "They say you are from a world that works much differently than ours, and that is why you have knowledge of us and our world."

Hattie, figuring she might as well go for broke, decided to enlighten him.

"It's a story where I'm from, written by a man who lived a long time ago. This whole world, its people and history, it was supposed to be all made up. A legend."

"That is why you were so shocked to see us, yes?" He pressed to ask, and this time Hattie did laugh. Briefly, the corners of Boromir's lips turned up, probably happy to see some expression besides misery on her face, but both disappeared all too quickly.

"Ólerydwen also shared it was not by the will of your own that you had been brought to this world. That you were forced over upon facing tragedy."

 _Oh…they know about that too…_

Seeing Hattie going pale, Boromir quickly added, "She did not share the circumstances of the tragedy, and neither did any of us press. It was not our place. She made it clear that you had suffered, however, and in that suffering a force of great malice took advantage. It was by the Lady Galadriel's interference that you were saved from the White Wizard, but then you were believed to be lost. It was a complete chance that you happened upon us, with little memory of what had occurred."

Despite what she had felt before, it was a relief to Hattie to at least have her 'tragedy' remain a secret and she silently thanked Ólerydwen. As Boromir said, it wasn't any of their business. And if she had half the chance, Hattie would gladly forget it herself. Deciding she no longer wanted company, she tried to hurry up this little interview as much as she could.

"Yeah. Gandalf seemed to understand what had happened and told me that he would help. He said you guys would help me get to Lothlorien where I could talk to Lady Galadriel about sending me back, and I would offer to help out where I could with my so-called seer powers."

"But you have been told that returning to your home is impossible, yes?" Boromir asked. Hattie took a while to answer, having to swallow a dry lump in her throat first.

"Yes."

"Then what happens now?"

"I don't know." She sighed, and desperate to change the topic, she asked, "How are the others taking this news?"

"Gimli believes this confirms his thoughts of you as a witch, which is not a favorable view. Aragorn shows concern, though mostly for the Fellowship. I believe most of the hobbits are still having trouble accepting, yet Frodo shows some comprehension. The elf…well, he did not seem all too surprised."

Hattie wondered at this. From what Boromir was saying and how he acted, it seemed that Ólerydwen had, tastefully, left a few things out. Namely Hattie's essential immortality and the fact that Galadriel would not be allowing her to leave Lothlorien. For the first, Hattie supposed Ólerydwen thought that Hattie's own personal business, much like the so-called tragedy that brought her over to Middle-earth, and again Hattie thanked her for it. As for the latter…well, sooner or later the Fellowship would find out she wouldn't be going with them. And right now Hattie preferred later, hoping that Galadriel would be taking up that honor.

 _I hope they will be okay. No, I know they will be okay. So I shouldn't worry about them. Their fates are sealed, for better or worse. As for me…well, I guess mine is too._

"And you?" Hattie asked when she eventually realized Boromir had skipped over himself. The Prince-Steward shrugged.

"In truth, it matters little."

Hattie's eyes widened, and Boromir noted her shock with wry amusement.

"You are surprised by this?"

"Well, yeah," She laughed, "I would have thought you'd jump on the witch hunt with Gimli like before."

Humorlessly, Boromir laughed as well. He took a moment to run a nervous hand through his hair, combing it back.

"It clarifies some mysteries about your character, actually. Why you seemed hesitant to travel with us despite having traveled seeking us out to aid us. Why you shied at every question of your past, of our future, as if remorseful of your duties as a seer. Yet some things remain the same. You are still gifted with the sight of things yet to come, and still as helpless as ever to prevent them."

"Yeah, basically." Hattie agreed, meeting his eyes with a half-smile, "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?"

Boromir nodded in agreement.

"The White Wizard's involvement, in particular, is…distressing. I see now why Gandalf refused to take the passage south, wishing to remain as far from him as possible." He hurriedly added, perhaps for his own benefit more than hers, "But the Lady Galadriel relayed to us that you are by no means under wicked influence. And for the circumstances of your being summoned here, you are not to be blamed."

"That's good to hear. I'm sure I would have made a lousy evil sidekick." Hattie shrugged before thinking, _Or golem, whatever._ At least she didn't have to worry about him accusing her of being a spy. For now at least. Hattie was just marveling at the strangeness of this conversation when Boromir suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Do not say such things!" He said in alarm. Seeing her surprise, he downcast his eyes in embarrassment, "You are not evil. Never believe so."

Hattie wanted to think this was a good thing to hear, especially from Boromir. But with all that had recently happened to her, she couldn't help but be suspicious now. Quickly she pulled her hand away from him, shifting back on the bed to increase the space between them. She had thought this was merely a confirmation of information for the sake of the Fellowship. But now she wondered if maybe Boromir was after something.

"Why are you being so nice?" She accused before fixing to soften her tone, "I mean, don't get me wrong, I like it. But I was sure that for most of my time here in Middle-earth, you hated me. Or at least found me inconvenient."

If Boromir did want something from her, then he was shit out of luck. Hattie was under no obligation to say anything in her so-called role of 'seer' ever again now that her deal with Gandalf had hit a dead end. And even if it wasn't, Hattie did not want to be used further by any wizard, living or dead, ever again. But Boromir only disappointed her suspicion.

"It is because you did a kindness to me. When I last spoke to you, I had been considering that it may be best if I quit the Fellowship and returned home. But you have renewed my hope that I may yet be of use to my people by remaining here."

 _Oh…fuck. Great. That's just…great. One more thing to feel stupid over._ Hattie gulped. This was definitely as good a thing as Boromir made it sound. He made it seem as if she had done him a favor. But Hattie knew it was the opposite. She supposed he would know soon too, and she wondered if he would sound so grateful as he lay dying pierced with arrows. She didn't want to have anything to do with that, or Boromir, right now. She had too much of her own shit to deal with right now to think on his own sad fate, as selfish as she knew that was.

"Now, if I may be so bold now as to give you the same advice." Boromir offered, and seeing no way to refuse, Hattie nodded her consent.

"I cannot say that I, or perhaps any in this realm, can understand what you have lost. A lost family or home, perhaps there we could find similar sentiments, but an entire world…it is beyond my grasp. This and the recent loss of your one companion must weigh heavily on your heart."

"Are you trying to make me feel better or not?" Hattie snorted humorlessly, so Boromir hurried his speech.

"Forgive me, but I say that you have not lost everything as you seem to believe. A world was taken from you, yes, but you have come to a new one. A family broken can be remade. A home once destroyed can be rebuilt. You may have set your hope on returning to all that you once knew, but now it seems you must place it in something stronger."

That was the last straw for Hattie. Boromir might have come here out of good intentions, but he really didn't know what he was talking about. She couldn't just replace or rebuild what she lost. How could she? She didn't have the fundamental knowledge to survive in this world. Oh, sure, she knew its history, but everything else that mattered was not here. She had no place here, and she knew it. Pretending otherwise was foolish. The only reason she had survived so far was that she hoped to return home. Now that was gone, there was nothing.

"Don't use my words against me. We both know they were complete bullshit anyway." She seethed, becoming fed up with all of this. She was about to try and politely dismiss the Prince-Steward, when he sighed dejectedly.

"I am sorry. I say them as a friend who wishes to encourage you. Miss Hattie, you are a miserable sight without your usual, blithe smile. Though your tongue is as ready as ever with curses."

As quickly as it had appeared, Hattie's anger left her. She looked at Boromir as if he had slapped her.

"A friend?" She repeated that word, wondering at the strange sound of it.

"I know no better word for someone with whom I have shared both council and misery." He explained, but seeing her shocked look, Boromir seemed to regret his choice of words, "But perhaps it is presumptuous of me. I have not been the most courteous of companions after all."

He stood to leave then, but to his and Hattie's own surprise, she reached out to grab his hand.

"No!" She shouted, only to then flush in embarrassment when he stared at her, "It's…nice."

It was. It was the first time, as far as she could recall, anyone used that word in reference to her. Sure, the hobbits had always been nice to her, but the hobbits were nice to everyone. Looking back, outside of Gandalf, Hattie supposed the only one she had any deep conversations with was Boromir. God, when she trained with him in Moria he had somehow managed to teach her and keep her from panicking about what was to come. He also opened up to her, sharing with her his own doubts, even if he was supposed to have done so with Aragorn. That had to mean something though. Despite the constant rocking back and forth of his opinion of her, Hattie supposed he was deserving of the word.

 _"You do have the beginnings of friendship here, after all."_

 _God, why are all wizards so frustrating?_

Hattie shook her head. She didn't care. Even if Boromir didn't fully, or ever could, understand everything that was happening to Hattie, it felt nice to know that someone here liked her at least a little bit.

But…that wasn't enough. She still wanted to go home. She wanted her own body and memories back. She wanted Wolf. She wanted, no, needed something to hold onto. And the magic of friendship wouldn't be enough. It never was outside of goddamn cartoons.

"Life moves forward. The old leaves wither, die and fall away, and the new growth extends forward into the light." Boromir spoke, breaking the silence, "My father told me this when I first looked upon the White Tree of Gondor. It had been withered of life for many years, yet I and many hold out hope to see it restored."

Hattie looked up at him, and Boromir smiled. Their hands still clasped, he gave her a reassuring squeeze. Having forgotten she had been holding onto him, Hattie apologetically pulled her hand back. Thankfully Boromir was not offended and offered another familiar sounding piece of advice.

"I ask for you to look for the strength to keep your hope as you have of me."

Hattie managed to smile back, hoping he couldn't tell how empty it was.

"Alright, deal."

 **~o0o~**

After Boromir left, Ólerydwen took advantage of Hattie being out from under the bed and practically threw her into the bath. Hattie wasn't in a mood to fight her, and in reality, she knew how pathetic she was being. When she had been scrubbed clean, hair brushed, and thrown into a clean dress, Hattie found she was still had energy left over to force herself to eat. She ended up surprising herself by finishing the whole tray. With that, Ólerydwen let her be, leaving the chamber with a self-satisfied look. She probably thought Hattie had finally recovered from her stupor of emotions, but the moment she left Hattie felt like crawling back down under the bed.

Except she didn't. She remained sitting on the edge of it, completely still, and thought. Soon enough, evening became night, and she still had not moved.

There was a lot to think about after all. As she had realized earlier, however impossible, there was still a chance for her to still go home. If certain things lined up just right. If Hattie played her cards smartly. If her body back on Earth was somehow not completely dead and buried, if she could somehow convince Galadriel to let her go with the Fellowship, if she could survive Amon Hen and Helms Deep, if she traveled to Isengard after Saruman was beaten down by the Ents, if she waltzed up to the White Wizard and gave him some ultimatum that he couldn't refuse then maybe she could go back home still. After all, when he is defeated by the Ents, he'd have no real incentive to keep her here, would he? There were still a lot of ifs in all of that, but soon enough Gandalf would be back.

Despite the part he played in Hattie's current misery, she still counted him as an ally. The same went for Galadriel if Hattie could win her over. Both of them had acted to help her, in their own way, which coincidentally for Gandalf also meant helping himself. And despite keeping some important facts to himself, Gandalf never lied to her and even cautioned her against being tactless with her knowledge of the future. Besides, Hattie knew she would need someone she could trust if she was to have any chance of pulling this off, and Gandalf was the only one besides Wolf she had shared everything with.

 _Well, him, Wolf, and now Boromir I suppose. I admit, it feels nice to know someone here likes me still...but did it have to be him?_

Hattie didn't want to think on that now. But Boromir, in a way, had helped her. As much as she wished to remain in the bliss of denial and the lethargy of depression, he was right. She needed something stronger to hope for. It was either that or resign to an eternity of boredom and self-pity. But whereas he was thinking she might just try to find a life for herself here, Hattie was not yet resigned on her longing for home. As she was constantly reminded every minute she spent in this world, she did not belong here. She would never belong here, and she didn't want to.

Still, it wasn't as easy as all that. Though the chance itself of returning home was near impossible, Hattie felt maybe somewhere in her was the resolve to make it. She had survived Moria and losing Wolf, all while remaining faithful to the idea of going home. She just needed that again. That faith that somehow it would all be worth it. That the chance was worth the risks she knew would come her way. But Hattie was done with faith and chances. She wanted something better. She wanted proof.

Now that all hinged on one thing.

Deciding she had nothing further to lose, Hattie stood herself up. As calmly as she could, she opened the door. As she expected, Aledor glanced over at her from his post, so she tried an innocent smile.

"Uh…hi?" She waved. Aledor, as was his habit, did not respond more than raising an eyebrow at her. Hattie uncomfortably cleared her throat.

"I'm just gonna go for a walk. Okay?" She asked, gesturing down the stairs. Again, Aledor did not speak. When Hattie hazard taking a step out of her chamber, he remained still. Hattie had hoped that since her talk with Galadriel, her suspicion about the guard-watch on her being lessened was true. But Hattie made it to the beginning of the stairs with no protest from Aledor, though he was still following her movement with her eyes.

"Okay. Bye." Hattie waved again, and calmly went down the stairs. Aledor didn't follow her. Hattie made it to bottom, picked the most likely path that would lead her where she wanted to go, and waited until she was out of the elf's line of sight before she started running.

Hattie knew, to a degree, what she was doing was wrong. She could likely wait until morning and ask Ólerydwen if she could speak to Galadriel again, but who knew when the busy Lady might fit her in. Hattie didn't have any patience left to wait. She needed this _now._ Desperately. Without it there was really nothing left.

 _But if I want to win Galadriel over into letting me go with the Fellowship, maybe I shouldn't be using her mirror without permission...oh, too late, I already found it._

The stone steps were cold against Hattie's bare feet as she stepped down into the dell. The mirror stood there, its silver rim glinting back the moon's generous light. Hattie was amazed with herself for finding it so quickly, and without any elf stopping her. She wouldn't depend on that lasting long however, and so quickly got to work.

Approaching the mirror, Hattie grabbed the pitcher. Running over to the basin, she filled it, then dumped it all in the mirror.

 _Wait, maybe I should say something? Galadriel seems to go through that whole 'even the wisest cannot tell what it will show' spiel a lot. I kind of have something more specific in mind though, so maybe if I concentrate on what it is I want to see, it will show it? What if it only works for Galadriel though?_

Hattie didn't know. What she did know was that more than anything, she wanted this to work. She needed it to. She needed to know if there was something to go home to. If anyone was waiting for her. Anyone, it didn't matter who. Her father, her stepmother or even half-sister. Maybe a boyfriend she didn't know about. Maybe whoever Michael and Reagan were, it didn't matter. If Hattie had someone waiting for her, she would fight this world tooth and nail to get back to them. They would be the strength to keep her hoping.

All she needed now was to know who they were. And if there wasn't anyone...well, Hattie would cross that bridge if she had to. But not yet.

Hattie leaned herself over the mirror, putting her hands on its rim.

"Alright, you stupid mirror. Show me what you got."

Hattie waited. She blinked repeatedly, hoping the scenery would change itself. But nothing happened. Hattie let out a groan of exasperation.

"Oh, come on!"

Galadriel was probably the only one who could work it, just as Hattie suspected. Honestly, it was stupid of her to even try. Maybe she should go back now before she ended up getting caught.

But as Hattie watched the water in the mirror ripple, some part of her urged her to touch it. Desperate enough not to question where this suggestion came from or the logic behind it, she reached out her fingers and skimmed the surface of the water.

* * *

This vision was different than the last time. So different that Hattie thought she might have accidentally passed out.

All she could see was black.

None of the eerily life-like qualities of the previous vision hinted at where she was or when she was. It was like she was floating in a blacked out deprivation tank. It was cold here too, and breathing was nearly impossible. The instinct to panic and find air took over and Hattie started to thrash against whatever had a hold of her. In her periphery, she caught a flash of color and immediately moved towards it.

The closer she came, the brighter the color became. It seeped out into others, eventually forming a murky picture. Soon enough Hattie could hear something coming from it, but it took her a while to recognize it as a voice. It was distorted badly, but Hattie knew it belonged to a woman speaking in a strange accent. It was lulling and coarsely slurred and hauntingly familiar. Concentrating on it, soon enough words began to form.

"Then all the Captains of the West cried aloud, for their hearts were filled with a new hope in the midst of darkness. Out from the beleaguered hills knights of Gondor, Riders of Rohan, Dúnedain of the North, close-serried companies, drove against their wavering foes, piercing the press with the thrust of bitter spears. But Gandalf lifted up his arms and called once more in a clear voice: 'Stand, Men of the West! Stand and wait! This is the hour of doom.'"

Hattie was closer to the picture, so much so that the bleeding colors started to reach out towards her. Everything was still blurred, but Hattie began to make out shapes. The entire picture seemed to be the corner of a room, containing a bed and chair side by side. There were figures in each. A small one tucked in the bed, and a larger one in the chair that, as far as Hattie could tell, was the one speaking.

"And even as he spoke the earth rocked beneath their feet. Then rising swiftly up, far above the Towers of the Black Gate, high above the mountains, a vast soaring darkness sprang into the sky, flickering with fire. The earth groaned and quaked. The Towers of the Teeth swayed, tottered, and fell down; the mighty rampart crumbled; the Black Gate was hurled in ruin; and from far away, now dim, now growing, now mounting to the clouds, there came a drumming rumble, a roar, a long echoing roll of ruinous noise. 'The realm of Sauron is ended!' said Gandalf. 'The Ring-bearer has fulfilled his Quest.'"

Hattie wondered at what she was hearing. She remembered this passage from the last book of the trilogy she was stuck in now. It didn't make any sense. Why would the mirror show her this? Did it know she was using it without permission and it was trying to mess with her? That was just rude. Hattie didn't think she would be able to stay in this place for long, and so wanted to get to what she came here for. She thought about maybe trying again, but as she listened, she watched the blurred shapes start to focus themselves. Soon enough, the one in the chair revealed itself to be an older woman.

She looked...familiar. Despite, or maybe because of, her age, the woman was oddly beautiful. She had silver hair that rippled down in long waves, nearly brushing the floor, and her most prominent wrinkles were around the corner of her eyes and mouth where her laugh lines would be. Despite not knowing what this had to do with her, Hattie was memorized as the scene continued to unfold itself.

"Wait, Nana?" The figure in the bed interrupted. It sounded like a little girl. The older woman paused, lowering the book she held in her hands to her lap.

"Yes, a stór?" She smiled.

 _A stór?_ Hattie wrinkled her nose at the strange words, finding she understood what they meant, _That's Gaelic isn't it? How do I know Gaelic? I guess O'Conner is an Irish name...so does that mean..._

Hattie looked closer at the older woman. There was something definitely familiar about her, though she was too old to be Hattie's mother. But Hattie could see she had the same earthy brown eyes the old woman, and it suddenly dawned on her that this woman could be none other than her own grandmother.

Despite knowing that they wouldn't be able to hear her, Hattie immediately clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from making a sound. This was a memory of her grandmother. Glancing towards the girl in the bed, Hattie knew it had to be her younger self. She couldn't have been more than eight. Wolf wasn't even with them yet, since Hattie got him for Christmas when she turned nine. She remembered that now too; he had been a gift from her grandfather.

"So, Sauron is gone?" Little Hattie asked as big Hattie tried to move closer to her grandmother. This hadn't been what she had hoped to see from the mirror, but she would take every second of this scene to try and memorize her grandmother's face. She was overwhelmed with every emotion she had tried to keep at bay the past several days. Anger for having this taken from her, guilt for not remembering it on her own, and, despite it all, gratitude that she could hear a dead woman's voice one more time. Maybe that's why the mirror decided to show her this, knowing how much she needed a good memory to hold onto.

 _Still, did it have to involve the Lord of the Rings? God, that trilogy really has been a part of my life since the beginning, hasn't it?_

"Yes." Grandmother nodded, about to pick up and continue reading when little Hattie interrupted again.

"But he's a was a wizard like Gandalf, isn't he?"

Grandmother bit her lip in thought, and Hattie almost laughed. God, she made that same face.

"That's true, he was a fallen Maia."

"So then he can't die, right? Won't he just come back like Gandalf?" Little Hattie quizzed, squirming in the overly sized tee-shirt she wore as pajamas.

"Awfully clever of you to remember that." Grandmother smiled, and little Hattie beamed at the compliment, "I suppose I meant to say he is physically gone. He put so much magic into the Ring that when it was destroyed, his evil was defeated forever. But he is immortal, so he can't ever really die."

"Oh. Okay." Little Hattie nodded, only to then frown after a moment. Catching the change of emotion, grandmother arched a brow.

"What is it?"

"I just...I don't get it. Gandalf is good, but none of the other wizards are. Why is that? Is magic bad?"

"Hattie," Grandmother sighed, "we are at the climax of one of the greatest stories ever written. Can't this wait?"

It seemed it couldn't. Both little Hattie and big Hattie were now expecting an answer. With another sigh, grandmother moved off of the chair to sit on the side of the bed.

"Alright, I'll tell you. No, magic is not bad. True magic is neither black or white. It's both because nature is both, loving and cruel, all at the same time. The only good or bad lies within the heart of the one who uses it. Life keeps a balance all on its own. So because Gandalf is good, he balances out the bad wizards."

It was a strange speech, but to little Hattie, it seemed to make sense. Big Hattie though was left in the dark. What was this? Was her grandmother into some kind of alternative lifestyle? Magic spelled with a 'k' and all that? It seemed to be the case as another voice, that of a man, shouted at the pair.

"What hippy bullshit are you teaching her now?" Hattie turned towards the direction the rough voice came from, thinking it must be her grandfather, but the mirror either wouldn't or couldn't show him, "Christ, wasn't the sage burning enough?"

"Bullshit it may be," Grandmother called back, smirking sweetly in the direction of the voice, "it is still much better for her then the swearing habit she has gotten from you. Wouldn't you say so, a ghrá mo chroí?"

Hattie recognized more Gaelic but she wasn't any more certain about what it meant than last time. It seemed to have the desired effect on grandfather though, as he then became quiet. Grandmother saw him do something that had her chuckling, but eventually, she turned back to little Hattie, ready to read more. But little Hattie interrupted yet again.

"So...do some people _have_ to be bad?" She asked, and grandmother titled her head curiously.

"What do you mean, a stór?"

"Did mom have to be a bad person for me to be good?"

The question surprised both grandmother and big Hattie. One looked down at the book in her hands, uncertain, while the other edged even closer.

"Your mom is…complicated," Grandmother eventually said, "So is your father. Neither of them are bad people, no, but they both have their weaknesses."

Hattie had to wonder what that could possibly mean. Weaknesses? Did that have something to do with why Hattie was with her grandparents now instead of her mom and dad? Come to think it, despite her lack of memories, Hattie was starting to get the inkling that neither of her parents were prominent figures in her life at al. This suspicion was only confirmed as little Hattie continued to ask another difficult question.

"Will mom ever come get me?"

This time, grandmother seemed to be more prepared to answer this question. Possibly because it wasn't the first time little Hattie had asked it.

"Maybe when she's better. But that could take a long time."

Little Hattie looked disappointed with the answer, but big Hattie couldn't help but be even more confused. When she's better? Was her mom sick? Oh god, did her mom die too? Did Hattie really have no one but her father and step-family left? Why did that make her feel so sad? They were family too right? Or...aren't they enough? Hattie left them to go to England for a reason, preferring to live on her own with Wolf. So did Hattie really have anyone left to go home to? This isn't what she had set to find out. Quite the opposite, really.

 _It seems...no matter which world it is, I am..._

"Can we finish the story?" Little Hattie asked though it sounded muffled. Grandmother smiled, her face blurring.

"Certainly."

As grandmother resumed the story, the words became less and less recognizable. Hattie didn't notice until everything started to fade that the mirror was pulling her out. Maybe it thought she had been satisfied with what she saw. While Hattie had to admit it had been nice, it wasn't enough. If anything, this had made her more desperate than ever to find something to hold onto. As the color of the memory faded to black, Hattie clawed around her to find some kind of grip. She needed to know if she had a chance to go back. She needed to know if her body was still alive. She needed to know that someone, anyone, was waiting for her to come back. Hattie needed this more than she needed to breathe, but she took in just enough breath to scream at the void.

"You show me something to live for and you show it now, goddamit! Cause I'll have you know, I'm not afraid of getting seven years bad luck if you know what I mean!"

If the mirror heard her, it made no indication. Hattie felt she had pushed her luck as far as it would go, but she wasn't willing to give up yet. Concentrating, she tried to imagine she was sinking further into the black. She could almost feel her weight dropping through the murkiness that surrounded her, but the mirror still didn't show her anything new. Hattie squeezed her eyes shut tightly, willing every cell of hers to resist leaving before she had gotten what she came for.

Still nothing happened. Or at least, that's what Hattie thought. Then she heard something.

It wasn't another voice. It wasn't even a human sound. There were whirring and clicks and mechanical breaths, and some kind of strange beeping. Not knowing what to expect, Hattie opened her eyes.

This scene was clearer than the last. It was almost as immersive as when Galadriel had asked her to look into the mirror. The sharp focus almost hurt Hattie's eyes, but knowing her time was getting short, she forced herself to look around.

She was in another room, this one belonging to a hospital. There were empty beds on wheels and everything was washed in a calming blue. The room was dark and mostly empty, but Hattie could see a woman with short hair sitting by a sleeping patient nearby. That's where all the noise was coming from, as the patient was hooked up to all kinds of machines and monitors.

Walking closer, Hattie recognized the person in the bed. It was her, of course. She looked pretty banged up, her head wrapped tightly in bandages and tubes stuck in her mouth and up her nose. Was she in a coma or something? Hattie was wondering when the hell this memory occurred when the woman sitting beside the unconscious Hattie spoke.

"Baby girl, oh god, please wake up." Her voice was hoarse and rough as if she had been awake for weeks. The dark circles under the woman's eyes only confirmed this. This woman was nowhere near as old as Hattie's grandmother, but she wasn't exactly young either. Something about the worried lines on her face reflected a not so perfect life. Despite how close the woman seemed to this Hattie, the current one could not for the life of her place the woman or this memory. Catching sight something familiar on the bedside table nearby, Hattie walked over to it.

 _That's...that's Wolf's collar. Wait, where is he?_

"I got clean like I promised," The woman spoke quietly, reaching a hand out to the unconscious Hattie, "I know, I know I should have called or reached out sooner. When Harry's parents died…I thought you wouldn't need me. I mean, I know his custody of you ended when you turned eighteen, but still, I thought he would take care of you like he was supposed to."

Hattie turned to look at the woman. Perhaps it should have happened sooner, but she was starting to put two and two together. And it added up to the woman being Hattie's own mother.

 _My mom...oh, god, this is my mom!_

"But he's not here, is he? Your father is never here when we really need him." The woman, Hattie's mom, chuckled half-heartedly. Her voice choked as she continued to speak.

"But I'm here now, and I need you to wake up baby. Can you do that for me? Please?"

Hattie didn't know what to do with herself. Part of her wanted to run over and reach out to her mom, even if she wouldn't be able to touch her. It was only a memory after all, and that fact brought up tears of frustration. But unlike the last one, she had no way to base when it had taken place. By the way her mom was talking, it seemed that this was after her grandparents died, which had only been a year ago if Hattie remembered correctly. That, coupled with Wolf's empty collar, and this Hattie's bandaged head...oh god.

It wasn't a memory. It wasn't a memory at all. The mirror wasn't showing her something in the past. It had to be the present. This was Hattie in the present. This was Hattie's body, still alive, and waiting beside it was her mom. Her mom was waiting for her to come home. Tears of frustration turned into ones of desperate relief. There was someone. There was someone waiting for her.

"Please, wake up…" Hattie's mom continued to beg, bending her head down to rest on their clasped hands.

"I will mom. I promise I'll get back to you." Hattie whispered. Realizing the scene around her were starting to fade, the room becoming smaller and smaller, she realized the mirror was again pulling her out of the vision. This time she didn't fight it, but instead took in the sight of her mom for as long as she could. This had been what she had wanted to see, she really couldn't ask for anything else from the mirror. Colors bleed as her mom started to sob, but then an alarming sound started to come from one of the monitors. It was going crazy. Hattie's mom looked up at it, and realizing it was the heart monitor, started to panic.

"Nurse! Nurse, something's happening!" She shouted, about to stand up, but to Hattie surprise, she then went absolutely still. The woman looked down at their hands, with the bedridden Hattie's squeezing hers back. Both Hattie's mom and Hattie looked at the one in the bed in shock.

"Mom…I'm here..." That Hattie croaked, eyes attempting to open. Hattie's mom fell to her knees, throwing herself over her child.

"You're awake! Oh, my sweet baby!"

* * *

There was no fade to black as the vision suddenly ended. One split second Hattie was watching her mom weep over her at the hospital, the next she was being thrown backward from the mirror of Galadriel. No, not being thrown, pulled. Instead of falling to the ground though, this time there were a pair of arms there to catch her. Hattie almost preferred the ground when her back collided with her rescuer's metal armor plate, knocking all air out of her.

Hattie more than heard than saw it was Aledor who had grabbed her. He was shouting at her in Elvish. Maybe he had followed after her and, seeing what she had been doing, dragged her away from the mirror. Hattie didn't care. She also didn't care what possible repercussions she would face. She had gotten what she came here for. And it was all that she needed and more.

"The future! That wasn't the past, it was the future! I...I go back! I go back home!" She breathed out in amazement.

Aledor tried to force her to stand up, still shouting at her angrily, but Hattie's limbs were all but useless. She felt drained. Maybe the mirror's magic had taken a toll. She was barely conscious of several elven guards gather around her in response to Aledor's shouting, another pair of arms grabbing at Hattie to finally bring her up to her feet. Another voice is speaking to her, this time in Common, but Hattie couldn't make any more sense of it than the Elvish. She smiled up at the speaking guard though, only barely aware it was Haldir.

"My mom is waiting for me."

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Wow. Emotional trauma much? Hey, if you guys really want to ruin your day, go back to chapter one and read the part where Wolf reunites with Hattie. That will mess you up. Hell, I wrote the damn thing and I got teary-eyed. But in all seriousness, losing a pet really sucks. I've lost my share of furry friends. My last dog had gotten sick when she was only four and died within a few months after I lost my cat to old age, so please don't think I took writing this lightly. And for all those out there who loved and lost animals, or anyone important really, my heart is with you.

All in all, I looked forward to writing this chapter, mostly because, like I said before, I love pulling the rug out from underneath Hattie. Speaking of, a golem is a creature from Hebrew mythology that is basically what I described here. Sometimes they would be used for good, like protecting temples, but mostly they were made by evil people. One golem actually fell in love with a human woman, and when she loved him back he turned human. Since there were similarities between this and the Uruk-hai, I thought the connection could be possible. The books don't really get into how the Uruk-hai were made besides the line about them crawling from the ground like maggots, which Peter Jackson then interpreted in the films as them being born in pits all slimy like. I just kind of took that same logic and applied it further, as I did want to ground the whole 'being taken from our world and dropped into Middle-earth' with some kind of explanation besides chalking it up to 'just because or magic'. Golems are written to be immortal too so long as the magic in them isn't faded, so that's two birds with one stone if you know what I'm saying. But, I wonder if that will cause its own problems...

Anyway, join Hattie in the next chapter as she meets with Celeborn to explain herself. Despite understanding why she had used the Mirror, Celeborn says she must be punished for her transgression. And just what is her punishment? To go hunting with none other than an angry dwarf, a brawny elf, an elf prince, and a flirty elf.

Speaking of…since I, unfortunately, will not be shipping Hattie romantically with Rúmil (despite how potentially cute that could be), at the request of Deathherselfie and others, I humbly offer him up to you guys! Gift wrapped and all!

 _"Amin lasáquet si…"_ (I did not agree to this…)

Hush! I have spoken! Enjoy dearies, see you soon!


	16. Some A-Boar-able Bonding

**Chapter 16; Some A-Boar-able Bonding:**

Oh boy! Did this story blow up! Over four hundred favs? My god, I am so honored. Thanks to all who reviewed for the last chapter, it really warms me how many of you like my writing and my very flawed OC. This chapter is a bit late, I will admit, but I hope you all enjoy it none the less. It is a lot lighter in terms of drama than the last chapter, and not very action-packed. But trust me, there are a lot of goodies here in terms of character relations (aka, lots of Legolas). The next chapter will be similar, but it's all to prepare for the upcoming drama of the Fellowship leaving Lothlorien. So please enjoy the levity, my dearies!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Hattie couldn't stop squirming in the elaborately carved chair she had been forced into by Ólerydwen. Since the craziness of last night, she had not slept one wink. She was too wired, the visions the Mirror showed her playing through her head over and over again on an endless loop. The only thing she could do to keep her and her nerves from flying out of the chair was to constantly study the room in hopes of grounding herself.

It was a beautiful open concept. With few walls and no windows, open to the forest and allowing leaves to litter the ground, it really embraced the whole 'Woof Elf Palace' aesthetic. The limbs of the great tree the Lothlorien Palace rested in spiraled into the room, holding in place the few walls there were and the bookshelves that lined them. In the corner opposite Hattie was a desk and chair, a few odd objects here and there that were to be expected of a private study for Lord Celeborn himself, whom Hattie was waiting for.

"So, how much longer-" Hattie tried to speak, her nerves getting the better of her, but Ólerydwen immediately cut her off.

"Not a word."

"But we've been waiting for-"

"I said not a word, human." Ólerydwen hissed from beside her. The elven woman then glowered down at Hattie, her expression beyond anger, "Do you not understand what you have done? You have insulted and betrayed the hospitality shown to you by the Lord and Lady! You have used a sacred item of magic without permission! You have risked my reputation in my ability to serve my Lady! You-! You-!"

Ólerydwen was apparently too angry for words at that point and made an unladylike groan of exasperation. She took a moment to gather herself before she spoke again.

"Do you know what happened to the last being to use Galadriel's Mirror without her permission?"

Hattie didn't answer. She didn't know if she was supposed to. Ólerydwen eventually did, and it was accompanied by a very harsh glare.

"Nothing. And that's because no one's been senseless enough to dare."

Hattie had to resist swallowing the lump in her throat.

 _This woman scares me more than any orc ever could._

Before Hattie's nerves could recover, the sound of someone approaching shattered her. She looked to the closed double doors of the study, knowing on the other side of it were two armed guards. Since her little excursion to Lady Galadriel's Mirror last night, she had been upgraded to not just one escort, but two, with Ólerydwen, glued to her side at all times. Hattie knew she was in trouble, but it wasn't until Ólerydwen dressed her early this morning in the finest gown that fit her to see Lord Celeborn that Hattie appreciated how far up the creek she was.

"Now, for once, I am begging you, behave yourself. Do not speak, and do not move." Ólerydwen straightened herself, looking ahead in anticipation.

"Can I breathe?"

"If you must." Ólerydwen gritted through her teeth. Before Hattie could determine if she had enough moxie in her to make another sarcastic comment, the doors opened.

Hattie felt her heart actually drop as Celeborn swept into the room. The halo of color the morning light created about his person was almost blinding to her sleep-deprived eyes, and she had to squint to see him. Upon his entrance, the doors closed behind him, filling the silence with a soft 'click' as Celeborn directly made for the desk and chair opposite Hattie. He did not look at her until he was seated, speaking in an almost casual manner.

"Good morrow, _Aiano en i'Eleni._ Has the morning found you well?" (Stranger of the Stars).

Hattie couldn't answer. This hadn't been what she had expected. This seemed almost…informal. When she had been pulled away from the Mirror of Galadriel, she fully expected to be thrown in a jail cell. Instead, she was simply locked in her little room. Upon her release, she was fully prepared to be confronted by Galadriel. With her, maybe Hattie stood a chance to explain herself. But Celeborn? She didn't know what to expect from him. Her limited interactions with him did not give her much in the way of his character.

Eventually, Hattie managed a timid nod.

"Good. I hope you understand why you are here. Your transgressions are grave indeed, but you will be given the chance to explain yourself."

"Oh. Okay." Hattie muttered. At least she would be able to explain herself. And as if knowing the questions that rang through her head, Celeborn answered at least one of them.

"Lady Galadriel will not be joining us this day. She has much to attend to in the wake of your actions."

Hattie lowered her head into her hands, feeling suddenly sick.

"God, I did break the Mirror."

"Nay, the Mirror is unharmed. That much at least you are not guilty of."

 _Oh…that kind of accusatory language does not sound good._

Despite not knowing what to expect from Celeborn, Hattie knew it would not be good. She did, after all, have a natural talent for pissing off elves. This time, however, it was for a very good reason. And that made her all the more nervous. Especially when Celeborn glanced to Ólerydwen, and waved her off.

 _"Ólerydwen, lá lestamen."_ (Ólerydwen, please leave us.)

The elven woman seemed surprised to hear the command but obeyed it nonetheless. Silently, she curtsied and glided over to the closed doors. Before opening and stepping through, she sent Hattie one last glare full of warning. Their effect had worn off a little. But as the doors shut behind Ólerydwen, Hattie was once more pitched into a sea of anxiety as she was left alone with the Lord of Lothlorien.

Celeborn was not so affected. He ignored Hattie for some time, further relaxing into his chair until he rested his chin in his hand, his legs crossed casually. Despite his posture, he did not look any less regal. In fact, it started to freak Hattie out how calmly he was acting.

"My wife has shared with me the details of your arrival here on Middle-earth not long after their occurrence. Your fall, Saruman's involvement, and her interference in his plans to use your knowledge for his Dark Master. She said to learn of it caused you great distress. She also stated that _Mithrandir_ had promised to you that she would aid you in returning to your world, and to learn that such could not be broke your heart and hope." Celeborn paused, finally turning towards Hattie. His expression was more withering than anything Ólerydwen had been capable of, so much so that his eyes darkened in shade, "I must then wonder, was your trespass and use of my wife's greatest possession an act of revenge?"

"What? No! Oh, no!" Hattie instantly panicked. This was the opposite of what she wanted. She needed these people on her side, for god's sake! Quickly, she set herself to grovel miserably, "I knew what did was stupid, but I had to do it!"

"Why?"

"There was…something I needed to see." Hattie faltered, looking down at the bandaged hand in her lap.

"Explain," Celeborn commanded, what patience he had for Hattie already running thin. Hattie could only do as he asked, and told him everything.

From her initial meeting with Gandalf to the horrible revelations from Galadriel. Then, Boromir's inspiring chat, Hattie's own stupid decision-making process, and finally her use of the Mirror. She told him everything it had shown her, from Wolf's death to her grandmother, and finally, the vision of her waking up back in her world with her mother by her side. At some point she had started to sob, completely overwhelmed with emotion, and Celeborn gave her time to recover before he finally spoke.

"And you are certain this vision of your mother, it is a vision of the future?"

Hattie nodded, having no room for doubt. It was the only thing that made sense from what she had seen. Her bandaged head, Wolf's empty collar, the anniversary of her grandparents' death…it could not be a memory. It was something yet to happen. And it filled Hattie with more hope than she could keep to herself. That being said, she attempted at some form of apology that she knew was overdue.

"Look, for what it's worth…I'm sorry."

Celeborn's gaze hardened sharply, and immediately Hattie regretted saying anything.

"For what in particular might I ask? For taking advantage of our hospitality? For using a sacred possession of the Lady without permission? For risking your own sanity and safety?"

"All of the above, I guess." Hattie cowed. But the shyness was short-lived as she managed to find a bubble of anger in her, "But you know, you guys could have been better about this whole thing too. Galadriel tried to repel me away from Lothlorien with a spell when the Fellowship and I were coming here for help. Then you told me I would have to wait a few days for answers, and then placed me under constant watch while I still had no idea what was going on! And then I find out that not only can I _never_ go home, but that I'm not in my own body, no longer human, and trapped forever in this world as an immortal! Your wife told me I would have been better off _dead!_ How is anyone supposed to react sanely to that kind of news?!"

"And you think this warranted your use of the Mirror? Do you even know what you may have put in jeopardy?" Celeborn accused, but Hattie carelessly shrugged.

"I mean, well, I didn't break the Mirror when I used it, so I don't understand what the-"

"The Mirror is a medium of magic, do you understand? The Lady Galadriel imbues it with her magic to carefully watch the past, present, and future. It is not that you used it without permission, it is that you were able to use the Mirror at _all_."

This reached Hattie. Apparently, she was missing something. There seemed to be some kind of leap of logic here that Celeborn thought too obvious to explain. The way he made it sound, it should have been impossible for her to use the Mirror in the first place. But…she had. Was there something more at play here then that she wasn't seeing?

"I…I don't…"

Celeborn cut off her stuttering with an exhausted sigh. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he tiredly pressed on to larger concerns.

"Your use of the Mirror could have alerted our enemies to your presence here in Lothlorien. Luckily, my wife has ensured that this was not the case. But what if Saruman discovered you were alive? He perhaps does not have the forces necessary to wage war with us, yet if his Dark Master were to lend aid…"

He didn't need to finish. Hattie understood his anger now. And she rightfully deserved it.

 _God. I put his people in danger. If Saruman found out I was here…oh god._

Guilt sank into her, and she could no longer look Celeborn in the eye. She knew what she had done was stupid, but she honestly didn't think it would have put anyone else in danger. That wasn't a good enough excuse though, and she knew it. That Celeborn had not yet locked her up was a miracle.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I just…I just needed hope. I needed a reason, you know?" Hattie muttered eventually. To his credit, Celeborn seemed willing to still listen to her poor excuses.

"A reason for what?"

"To keep going. To fight for the chance, no matter how slim, of going back home to my mother."

Celeborn shook his head, once more reclining himself into his chair.

"I warn you to not put too much faith in what the Mirror showed you. It is but a possibility of the future if indeed it was a vision of it."

"But that's just it, that's the point!" Hattie stressed in excitement, "The vision _is_ a possible future! It can happen! I know it can! I can go back home, and I know how."

Celeborn's brows pulled together in thought, either startled by her conviction or intrigued. Either way, Hattie chose to press on quickly while she had his attention. Her next words had been chosen carefully hours ago in the early morning when she found she could not sleep. There wasn't much she could say, but she hoped it would get her point across.

"In the near future, Saruman really won't have much incentive to keep me here. And that would be my opportunity to convince him to reverse whatever he did to me and send me back to my comatose body. Back to my world. Back to my mother, and fulfilling the vision I had. I would be gone and no longer a liability to this world. If all goes well, that is. And I can make certain it does for everyone. Especially for the Fellowship."

Hattie had to stop to breathe, her lungs tight with emotion. She didn't want to start crying again, but that word overwhelmed her no matter how many times she said it. Mother. Her _mother_. Her mom called her baby girl. Was that her nickname? Her mother had left her with her grandparents to get clean. How many years had they been apart? Ten? Eleven? And yet it was her mother there waiting by the hospital bed for her to wake up instead of Hattie's father, who was supposed to be looking out for her after her grandparents died. It was obvious who cared more for Hattie, despite their time apart. Her mother had very short hair and a deeply lined face, and while Hattie couldn't pull up any memories of her, she had already committed the woman's face to memory. She hoped she would see her real mother soon.

"The mirror showed my mother to let me know that I am supposed to go back, that I am not supposed to stay here in Lothlorien. Why else would it show me that if I'm not supposed to act on it?" Hattie concluded, swallowing down her emotions before they could overpower her.

"You think so? You ask that I put a lot of faith in something only you have seen, however impressive your powers of sight are. And yet…" Celeborn paused and sighed deeply as he once more pinched the bridge of his nose wearily, "The idea of keeping you here, in Lothlorien, already exhausts me. Should the enemy discover your whereabouts, I do believe they will do everything their power to reclaim you. Yet should you remain undiscovered until the Fellowship's quest comes to an end, whatever end that may be, then what will be done with you? Our time in this land is coming to an end. Where then will you go when we have departed? You cannot come with us to the Grey Havens, nor can we afford to leave you behind if there remains any chance of your knowledge being used for ill."

At this point, Celeborn seemed to be talking more to himself than to Hattie. She only sat and listened intently. The doubt in his voice gave her hope. It sounded like he wasn't completely on board with his wife's plan to keep her here. While she didn't want to be the cause of any marital strife, she knew she had to feed his doubts further if she was to win him over to her plan. And with him on her side, maybe Galadriel would be willing to change her mind as well.

"If such a possibility of returning you to your realm truly existed, I would perhaps risk the chance. To restore our world and yours to proper balance...perhaps it would sever whatever bridge Saruman had you cross, and eliminate the risk of more contamination by your presence here, so to speak. Keeping you here may only invite more trouble."

"Yeah, restoring balance sounds good to me too." Hattie agreed enthusiastically. Celeborn returned his harshly studious gaze back onto her.

"Then if I am to understand, it sounds as if you plan to continue journeying with the Fellowship."

"Yes," Hattie nodded, "That will present the best opportunity to confront Saruman. Trust me."

During her wakeful hours after her encounter with the Mirror, Hattie had come to this conclusion. Of all the possible action she could take, it was the best course.

It was out of the question to just stay here in Lothlorien, even if it was the safest option. Saruman may be a big threat now, but no one but Hattie knew he was going to die and very soon. Either killed by Wormtongue on top of the tower, like in the movies, or betrayed by Wormtongue latter in Hobbiton after the War of the Ring was ended. Despite how much Hattie hated the White Wizard, she needed him alive to send her home. She needed to act quickly then.

Hattie had, of course, also considered simply remaining in Lothlorien until Gandalf showed up just a few days after the Fellowship departed. It certainly would be a much safer option. Plus, she'd get a fun eagle ride out of it. But ultimately, she knew she couldn't do that either. While it would be nice to skip over Amon Hen – and all it entailed – she wasn't certain Gandalf could be depended on.

For one, with him coming back all fresh from the resurrection, he ended up forgetting a lot of things. He even forgot his own name, but to be fair he had like a dozen. His perspective was warped by the odd stretch of time that occurred while he healed, and though he remembered, quote, "many things far off" there were "many things that are close at hand I cannot see". It could be very likely then that Gandalf had also forgotten about Hattie. And Hattie didn't trust that Galadriel would bring her up when Gandalf and she held counsel before the wizard took off for Fangorn. Two, and far more importantly, even if he did remember her, Hattie feared that Gandalf would think he didn't need her anymore. After all, that had been part of the deal. She was only supposed to guide the Fellowship in his absence. With him back and badder than ever…no, he wouldn't need her anymore. He would probably end up agreeing with Galadriel that by this point Hattie was more a liability than a help. And even if he didn't think that upon returning, he quickly would. Because if she waited for him, it would mean Hattie did not do as he asked.

Would Gandalf help her if he saw her there waiting for him instead of helping the Fellowship like had wanted her to? Abandoning them when he wanted her to guide them? And, god, when he learned about Boromir's death, would he or anyone help her ever again in this world? She realized she wouldn't deserve any help if she completely abandoned the Fellowship. She still felt it wasn't her job...but goddamn it, maybe they needed her as much as she needed them. How she would help them, she didn't know yet. But she couldn't help them or herself if she wasn't with them…as much the journey ahead terrified her beyond anything.

 _Great. Despite everything, Gandalf is still getting what he wanted from me. Did he have this planned from the beginning? What a schemer. He's turning out to be more and more like Dumbledore every day._

Celeborn was not so easily convinced, however. He took the weight of the danger she presented for the Fellowship against her potential benefit, and with a shake of his head, found it uneven.

"No. The Fellowship has their own mission to protect the Ring Bearer. To also keep you out of enemy hands is too much to ask of them when they have already lost one of their number. The Lady Galadriel has deemed it best for Middle-earth that you remain here in Lothlorien under our protection, and I shall not argue."

"Is it really though?" Hattie asked, trying her best to keep her voice steady and convincing, "The Lady Galadriel herself seemed pretty concerned that not only I was summoned here, but my dog and my stuff had been too. Including a book that has a lot of history on you elves. Fëanor and all that. She seemed pretty worried for Middle-earth if Saruman ever learned how easily he could just try and summon one of the hundreds of thousands of books that have every single detail about the future of the Fellowship's quest written down. If that happened, then all Middle-earth would be pretty doomed."

Celeborn looked to her, his eyes widening. Apparently, Lady Galadriel hadn't told him everything. The shock value worked to Hattie's advantage.

"Just like you said, contamination. Gandalf said that he wanted me to guide the Fellowship with my knowledge of the future. He had been trying to coach me into how I could help them. And for good reason, it seems. What if Saruman gets a hold of the same knowledge I have? How will the Fellowship, or any of you really, stand a chance then? My knowledge of the Fellowship goes beyond just knowing what happens, beyond sight. I can recite _exact_ phrases, word by word before the speaker can open their mouths. I know what happens before it happens sometimes right down to the _exact_ second. There's no competing with that if Saruman gets a hold of that knowledge."

Hattie wasn't trying to threaten or brag. She wasn't even certain what she could do if Saruman did ever get ahold of the same knowledge she had. Lady Galadriel was worried about this possibility, yes, but it seemed she believed it likely Saruman as not aware. Maybe he didn't have the magic to do it again, or maybe he had given up with his perceived failure with Hattie. But Hattie knew the possibility was frightening enough on its own and that worked for her, though she hoped it would never come true.

"Gandalf told me to lead the Fellowship well. I promise that I will do all I can. I am their best chance, and you know it." Hattie pressed to say despite the rising doubts in her.

 _Which isn't very encouraging, I'll admit._

Her false bravado was noticed by Celeborn however, and he frowned in distaste.

"You speak as if you care for this world as deeply as I. Do not claim such falsehoods. You are not a part of this world, though circumstance has forced you to be tied to it. You plan to use the Fellowship's quest to your advantage."

Hattie was cowed by this accusation but had nothing to counter it. He was right. She was planning on using the Fellowship to get her home. But she needed them. She needed them to get her home. It was all she had. God, it was the only thing keeping her from collapsing in on herself. Couldn't Celeborn see that?

"You're right. I don't belong here." Hattie forced herself to speak, shaking with emotion, "Which is why I will do everything I can to get back. You have to know that. Our goals are the same."

"And what should happen if they no longer are? What will you take from this world to go back to your own if presented the chance? You already have risked the safety of my people with little thought beyond your own needs. You may have the sight, your body may be immortal, but you are still a selfish, shortsighted child of men."

Hattie looked down, biting her lip in shame.

This wasn't what she wanted to hear, as much as it was true. At the very least, she wasn't guilty of denying this about herself. She couldn't imagine purposefully hurting any of the Fellowship, but she had done so plenty already by accident. Gimli, Frodo…god, the way the yelled at Legolas made her hate herself. She didn't know if she could look any of them in the eye. And Boromir, her friend…was she going to knowingly let him die just so she can go home…?

 _No, don't think like that. I'll…I'll deal with that when the time comes…_

"And yet, you are a strange, unwelcomed miracle in this realm," Celeborn continued, his voice shaking the dark thoughts from Hattie's mind, "My wife had believed you to have died, and yet you survived the crossing of worlds and the force of her magic that sought to send you back. Your survival and falling into the company of the Fellowship rather than the enemy must surely be a sign from the Valar if there ever was one. You pose a risk to this world believed to once be impossible. And yet…perhaps you may be needed to right the wrongs your presence has inflicted in this world…"

The two of them were silent for the longest time. Hattie waited on bated breath while Celeborn studied the intensity of hope in her expression. With one last weary sigh, Celeborn conceded.

"I see the wisdom in what you speak, though I by no means approve of your motives. I shall discuss it with my wife."

Hattie, to her very core, felt a wave of relief wash over her. It wasn't entirely what she had hoped for, but at least she had done her best. Time would tell if she had been successful. For now, she would breathe a little easier.

"Thank you."

Her appreciation did not seem to be needed, as Celeborn reclined back into his chair, fixing her with another harsh glare.

"Oh, you should not be thanking me. Not yet, at least. For now that I have discovered the reasoning behind your betrayal of hospitality, it is now time to administer proper punishment." There was something threatening about his voice, and Hattie knew whatever punishment he decided on would not be painless. He then peered down the length of his nose at her, and Hattie felt frozen to her chair.

"Now…what to do with you?"

 **~o0o~**

"I'm going to die."

"You are not going to die, human."

"I am. I'm going to die." Hattie groaned miserably to Ólerydwen as she began to fidget with her clothes and armor. It was too pretty a morning to die, even with as early it was. The sun was barely up, creating a soft glow among the silver trees that bordered the edge of the elven city where Hattie waited for her escorts.

 _Why me? Why do these things keep happening to me? Oh, right. Cause I keep on being fucking stupid._

"Lord Celeborn deemed this the most fitting punishment for your transgression. If you were to be executed, it would not be in such a convoluted manner."

"Maybe he wants my death to look like an accident. Maybe he's hoping that some rabies infested rabbit will lunge for my neck and end me. Trust me, if there's a way to get killed out there, I'll find it. I'm as good as dead." Hattie argued, convinced of her doom. There was no denying it, her fate was sealed.

After her meeting with Lord Celeborn the other day, he quickly determined her punishment, and it wasn't quite what she expected. She was to join a hunt.

It seemed that the complaints of some of his guests – namely the hobbits and Gimli – had reached his ears and as host, Lord Celeborn wanted to provide them with the diet to which they were accustomed to. Namely meat, which somehow Hattie was supposed to catch. That meant three days out in the woods with several guards as escorts, after which Lord Celeborn said that he and the Lady Galadriel would make a final decision as to Hattie's fate. But he was cheating. He clearly knew she was going to get killed out in the woods, therefore eliminating Hattie as a problem.

 _This is a setup, plain and simple. There's nothing written in the Fellowship about a hunt. I have nothing to go off of to predict possible dangers. This isn't canon. This isn't canon!_

Hattie's continued nervous squirming finally pushed Ólerydwen's patience too far.

"Stop fidgeting. You are going to scuff the leather." The elven lady hissed, lightly smacking Hattie's hand away from the gauntlet ties she was picking at.

"I can't help it," Hattie whined, "I'm not used to wearing armor. It feels weird."

It was extremely weird. While the soft leather boots, suede leggings, and green jerkin were rather nice additions to her growing elven wardrobe, everything else made her uncomfortable and heavy. The leather pauldrons covering her shoulders and upper chest had weird straps that were too tight, cutting into the underside of her breasts awkwardly. The gauntlets weren't much better, too large for her tiny wrists so that they rubbed her wrong. Strapped to her back was a light pack with everything she supposedly would need for the next three days, as well as the staff she had been training with to serve as her protection. As much as Hattie appreciated being trusted with a weapon, she couldn't help but feel like some kid trying to dress up for a renaissance fair. It just didn't suit her, but then she very well couldn't go hunting in a dress either, so she supposed she would just have to get used to it.

Ólerydwen, seeing her discomfort, stepped before Hattie. Without a word she adjusted some straps, tightening some and loosening others until Hattie felt she could move more comfortably in the leather.

"Hm. There. That should do it." Ólerydwen stepped back, giving Hattie a final once over, "It has been a while since anyone has worn this armor. It first belonged to my eldest, Glavradis, before it was passed to her sister."

"Oh. Tell Hinnorneth thanks for letting me borrow it." Hattie smiled, appreciative of the gesture. Ólerydwen simply waved her gratitude away.

"It is yours to keep. Hinnorneth only used it for training. Now she has outgrown it, and it will hardly suit Poldórea."

"Who?"

"My youngest child. He is only three hundred, so it will be some time before he will be of age to use it. By that time, it will be quite old fashioned. But perhaps if I have another daughter..." Ólerydwen considered thoughtfully, much to Hattie's surprise.

"You want _more_ kids? But I thought...never mind." Hattie stopped herself. She was not about to bring _that_ up. Especially to Ólerydwen. That being said, Hattie's archeology brain couldn't stop asking questions that she was determined to keep to herself.

 _What was it Tolkien wrote about the sex lives of elves? They are "seldom swayed by the desires of the body only, but are by nature continent and steadfast" and only sexually active for a couple of centuries until they have a few kids? In fact, because their children are immortal, doesn't pregnancy take a toll on their own lives that they restricted themselves to rarely having more than four because of how dangerous it was? Some of them even die off if they have too many children, like Fëanor's mother. That's really depressing. But weird too, because Fëanor's wife had seven sons, and she was fine, so-_

But as if knowing Hattie's intrusive thoughts, Ólerydwen's expression became spitefully mischievous.

"Not all elves are the same. I know the rumors you humans like to spread about us. You seem to think us so far removed from the pleasures of this world that we might as well be statues. My husband and I are very affectionate even after nearly two thousand years of marriage and welcome the idea of more children. We are hardly strange for still desiring one another's embrace and warmth in-"

"Oh my god! I do not need to hear this!" Hattie panicked, regretting everything and covering her ears.

Ólerydwen did stop, but only because the two of them were no longer alone. Seeing Haldir and Rúmil walking up the path to join them at the edge of Lothlorien, Ólerydwen arched a haughty brow.

"Now, if we are to talk about strange elves..."

 _"Bain arin! Maira aur an rui!"_ (Good Morning! Splendid day for a hunt!) Rúmil greeted, the scar that crossed his face twisting strangely as he smiled at Hattie.

"You? You're my escort?" She grimaced, "Great. Just great. This day can't get any worse."

Hearing the whimper in her voice, Rúmil then leaned down so his smirk was at her eye level.

 _"Caro devan gar walmëeg, pîn opole. Baw meran kahyalme sina maurin."_ (Do try to contain your excitement, little fawn. Don't want to cause a scene this early.)

Hattie had to bite the inside of her lip to keep back a groan of frustration. She had no idea what he was saying, but she knew he was teasing her. He was like a fourth-grade boy trapped in an immortal elf body. Thankfully, Haldir was present as well and looked determined to keep his younger brother in line when he grabbed Rúmil's arm and yanked him a few steps away from Hattie.

"Are you ready to depart, _Aiano en i'Eleni?"_ (Stranger of the Stars) He asked her, voice clipped but polite.

"Just Hattie, please. And yeah." She nodded, frowning at the title. Now that she knew what it meant she thoroughly disliked it. Every time it was said, it just beat in the fact how strange and hopeless her situation was. Hattie shook her head.

 _No, not hopeless. I will get back home. I will._

"Look," She added nervously, "I know this is my punishment and I accept that. The thing is, I've never hunted before. In fact, until recently, I've never killed before. It's a new and terrifying thing for me, so I'm not sure how I am supposed to hunt with just a staff and-"

Before she could get too worked up, Haldir cut her off.

"Worry not. You need not do the actual hunting. If we depended on your skills, we might be out in the forest for weeks."

At the obvious dig, Hattie's frown deepened.

"Though I will say if you plan on eating any of the meat we catch, you must do your share. Perhaps we shall have you skin and gut."

 _Ew, ew, gross, no, ew, ew, ew, why, ew, ew, ew, ew, ick, ew, ew, nope, nope, nope!_ Hattie's mind protested, but she kept it to herself. It was only fair that she did her part, and this was a punishment, so it made sense that her part would be the worst.

"Oh. Okay. Thanks."

"Now we wait for the others of our party to arrive."

Hattie's brows knitted in confusion.

"The others?"

On cue, two others came up the path Rúmil and Haldir had just followed. It was Gimli and Legolas.

Alarm bells screamed in Hattie's head.

 _"Legolas, valima lle kavlimë men."_ (Legolas, glad you could join us) Haldir greeted, placing a hand to his chest in typical elvish fashion.

Legolas returned the gesture with little emotion, but Hattie could hardly miss the curious glance he spared her. He seemed to be just as confused to see her as she was him. Hattie quickly guessed that he probably didn't know she was supposed to be here, probably signing up for the hunt to see more of his brethren's homeland and enjoy the woods of the Lorien. Why didn't anyone tell him? Why didn't anyone tell _her?_ Rúmi she could handle, but Legolas? God, this was going to be beyond awkward. Was this part of her punishment? It had to be.

"What is the witch doing here? Do not tell me she is accompanying us for the hunt?" Gimli asked, not hiding the accusation in his voice. Hattie didn't have time to even think of defending herself when Ólerydwen spoke up for her.

"The young lady has expressed a desire to know more of Lorien, and I have given her permission to do so. The fresh air will do her some good after her recent sorrows. I believe it shall lift her spirits." Ólerydwen swiftly explained.

Hattie immediately flushed and looked down to study her new boots. Ólerydwen was clearly lying, but she was grateful that no one else was to know this was a punishment for her. Did that mean that the Fellowship didn't know of her late-night excursion to Galadriel's Mirror? One quick glance told Hattie, no, they didn't. But when Legolas met her gaze, his look guarded, it was clear that he suspected something greater at play here.

 _Great. Just great. As if he didn't have reason enough to be suspicious of me already._

"She will only slow us down!" Gimli objected, remaining obstinate, "Once more, I do not wish to spend any more time in the company of that dark enchantress than I have already!"

"Then you need not go, dwarf." Ólerydwen sniffed indifferently, "With three elven warriors, your skills will not be needed."

Either Ólerydwen was just being plain prejudiced or she really knew how to rile the dwarf, cause Gimli immediate straightened himself and seemed willing to prove her wrong at any cost.

"Hmph. Let it never be said that a son of Gloin was not gracious to his host. I will do my share to supply the meat for our table."

"I am glad that is settled then." Ólerydwen then turned from them all and began to walk away, barely sparing Hattie one last meaningful glare, _"Bain rui._ (Good hunting.) We shall see you in three days. And the girl better be returned in one piece, or else I will hold each of you responsible."

 _God, it's so hard to tell whether this woman wants me to drop dead or not._

The silence that followed Ólerydwen's departure was torture to Hattie. Were Gimli and Legolas really going on this hunt? She hadn't anticipated seeing any of the Fellowship this soon, especially the two that had the greatest grievances against her. She could already feel Legolas's eyes on her, staring her down. The last time she saw him, she was a sobbing mess of grief and accusations, many of which she still had no answers to. How was she supposed to act around them?

"Come. Let us depart." Haldir announced, either not noticing or not caring for the uncomfortable atmosphere around several members of the hunting party.

He led them to a path that diverged off of the one that had led to this clearing, one that looked to dive deeper into the forest. Setting a marching pace, they followed after him in perfect silence.

Hattie was last in line, grateful that the position meant Legolas was no longer staring at her but still just as uncomfortable. Sooner or later, she was going to have to speak to him. If she was going to continue on with the Fellowship, she would need to have all them on her side. It was lucky for her they didn't know of her breach of hospitality by using the Mirror of Galadriel's decision to keep her in Lothlorien. That being said, if Lord Celeborn could not convince his wife to let her leave, then Hattie's last hope would be that the Fellowship would be able to appeal to the Lady for Hattie's release. But as it was…it was clear very few of them liked her and even less trusted her.

 _For very good reasons might I add. It's not exactly like I have an excellent performance record as a seer or even as a decent human being._

That being said, Hattie hoped that she could depend on them. But that would mean actually _talking_ to them, especially the ones who would have the strongest objections. Namely, Legolas and Gimli.

But she…she just couldn't. It was as if she had lost all ability for small talk. She hadn't even managed a 'good morning' yet. And what would she say to them anyway? I'm from another planet but let's forget everything and just start over? Good plan. Great. Except for one little thing. They both _hated_ her. Or at least, she knew Gimli still did. Hattie didn't even know what to think about Legolas. He hadn't lied or outright hurt her, but the fact that he kept secrets from her all while accusing her of being a mystery and treating her with suspicion…it confused her too much. Her anger at him had dissipated a long time ago, but that didn't mean she was ready to forgive him.

So, Hattie decided to put it off. She would ignore Gimli and Legolas as best as she could and would concentrate on other matters that needed her attention. Assuming all went well between Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, and Hattie was somehow able to get back in with the Fellowship, she needed a plan. A real plan. A plan that covered all bases and contingencies from here to the defeat of Saruman.

Hattie was through being caught off guard, looking to Gandalf, or relying on spur of the moment stupidity. If she was going to pretend to be a seer, then she was going to be a seer that said and did everything right. This was her second chance to get home, and by god, she was not going to screw it up. She was going to keep the story on track and make certain everything went as it was supposed to.

She owed the Fellowship that much, seeing as how she was using them as her ticket home. She would make certain they all remained safe, just as Gandalf asked of her. It wasn't a bad price to pay for what she would be getting in return.

With that in mind, Hattie slowed to reach into the pack on her back. She pulled out her journal, a pen, and her beloved copy of _The Silmarillion_. If she was going to plan ahead, she needed to look back. Anything could be of importance moving forward, and she wanted to refresh herself. History often repeated itself, she knew this more than most, so she would be armed and ready with knowledge. Besides…she much rather tackle this than start planning for how she was going to handle Boromir's impending death…

 _No, no. Not yet. Not now. I have time. I'll figure something out…something…_

With that, Hattie started to read and furiously take notes. She used a shorthand system she had made up for herself for taking notes in college. That way she not only wrote faster but if – Eru forbid – someone got a hold of her notes, they would only make sense to her. All this she did while walking, the smooth path presenting no dangers for tripping while she absently followed after the person walking ahead of her.

 _While I might suck as a seer, I am one hell of a student,_ Hattie thought somewhat smugly.

It seemed she had prematurely congratulated herself, as something snatched the book out of her hands. Startled, she looked up to see Rúmil towering over her.

 _"Lle naa lanta adel, pîn opole."_ (You are falling behind, little fawn.) He told her, smirking playfully. He gestured ahead of them, the two of them several paces behind the others. Hattie frowned, not understanding what she did wrong, and reached to take her book back, but Rúmil kept it out of her reach and repeated the same elvish.

"Why are you like this? You know I don't understand you." She groaned, once again reaching for her book. Again, Rúmil kept it out of her reach, but then he started down the path, taking it with him. A possessed panic took over Hattie as she chased after him, nearly dropping her journal in the process.

"W-wait! Give that back!" She protested as she dove for her book, but Rúmil lifted it over his head. Hattie jumped after it and missed. Being freakishly tall like all other elves, and she barely taller than a dwarf, the situation was as frustrating for Hattie as it was apparently amusing for Rúmil as he laughed.

"Damn it! This is so juvenile!" Hattie cursed.

 _"Nai alopole. Amba sui rhovan hi."_ (Perhaps not a fawn. More like a wildcat now.) Rúmil teased. Before Hattie could debate using the dog whistle still hanging on her locket or getting out her staff to smack that smirk off of him, Haldir spoke from ahead.

 _"Rúmil, lestarya ea."_ (Rúmil, leave her be.)

At the command in his voice, both Hattie and Rúmil stopped their struggle that was now being watched by both Haldir and Legolas. Rúmil shrugged his shoulders after a moment, not remorseful for his mischief as he still held the book out of her reach.

 _"Rie cagli."_ (Only a jest.)

Legolas spoke then, the sharpness in his voice making Hattie flinch.

 _"I'parf naa muin an rya. Baw cag rya di ed."_ (The book is dear to her. Don't tease her with it.)

Whatever was said this time convinced Rúmil, as he quickly handed Hattie the book back. She snatched it from him, cradling it and her journal to her chest in case he tried anything funny again.

 _Thousands of years old and Rúmil has the maturity of a preschool boy who likes to pull girl's pigtails! No wonder Tolkien barely wrote anything about him!_

Rúmil then silently apologized to Hattie, placing a hand on his chest and bowing his head slightly, which softened her anger the littlest bit. Stepping aside, he gestured for her to walk ahead of him. When she didn't take the hint, Rúmil gently nudged her forward as Haldir once again began to march.

 _"Tolo hi, pîn opole. Hi men naa ui adel."_ (Come now, little fawn. Now we are both behind.)

"God, I know you speak Common! Just talk to me already!" She groaned miserably as she trudged forward, "Why do elves have to make everything so complicated?! You are all just-!"

She had more insults ready, but they died the moment she noticed that Legolas was standing right in front of her. He hadn't immediately followed after Haldir but lingered to meet her eyes briefly before turning. Hattie didn't like the look. It was the same unreadable one he often used on her before when things were much simpler. She wondered what it meant this time around, but more than that she wondered if there was a rock she could go crawl under. But with Rúmil rushing her forward, Hattie was trapped between the two elves and left to wonder what further awkwardness awaited her before this trip was over.

 **~o0o~**

The first day of the hunting trip was surprisingly uneventful. Haldir led all of them deeper and deeper into the woods of Lothlorien, away from the city. It took them all day to walk the distance where plentiful game could be found, and by the time they got there, it was decided they would camp. Of course, if it was just the elves, they probably could have completed this entire trip in just a day, but they were slowed by Hattie and Gimli's short legs.

The night was spent quietly eating the nuts, bread, and cheese that had been packed for their meals, with only the elves making light conversation among themselves. Gimli would once in a while huff something, but he was quick to fall asleep and overpower the soft crackle of their fire with his snores.

As for Hattie, she kept to herself, pouring over her book and journal. This time Rúmil didn't bother her, and neither did anyone else. In fact, barely anything was spoken to her since Rúmil's little joke earlier. Maybe it was because they could tell she was invested in her book. Or maybe it was because of the still clinging tension between herself and Legolas intimidated them. It went unspoken, which Hattie was grateful for, but it was obvious from the way Legolas did not even glance over at her once during the night that he was now trying to avoid her as much as she was him. Perhaps she would survive the next few days after all.

 _Careful there Hattie,_ she warned herself, _that sounds dangerously close to optimism. God knows we don't need that developing into a habit._

Haldir started the second day of the trip by walking them just a little further into the woods, enough that they were away from where they had made camp for the night. This time the pace was slow, the elves treading silently while Hattie and Gimli attempted their best not to trample the undergrowth like a pair of drunk elephants.

"This is far enough." Haldir whispered lowly as he took slung the bow off of his pack, "We shall split up from here. Legolas, the west is yours. I shall go further north. Rúmil, take the dwarf and girl further east, and set up snares."

The two elves nodded in agreement, as it had been decided earlier that splitting up would allow them to cover more ground. But Gimli did not appreciate the second-fiddle role that had been assigned to him.

"Snares? I did not march a day and a half to just catch rabbits."

Haldir was not fazed by the dwarf's tone and patiently whispered as if explaining something difficult to a child.

"Master dwarf, you only have with you your axe. Hardly conducive to hunting plentiful game."

Gimli bristled, his hands tightening their grip on said weapons until the wooden shaft creaked at the pressure.

"What you mean to say is that your bow is the better weapon here."'

"But of course," Haldir replied without hesitation as if knowing himself to be in the right. Maybe he was, Hattie couldn't be sure herself, but Gimli definitely didn't see it that way.

"Hmph," He grumbled, marching off in a random direction, "We shall see, master elf."

"What do you plan to do?"

"Hunt some _actual_ game. That is what we came for after all."

"Master dwarf, I mean no offense. It is simple tactics. A long-ranged weapon is better for hunting-"

"Haldir, perhaps we should not be so quick to doubt the dwarf." Legolas gently interrupted. It came as a surprise to both Haldir and Gimli, who had stopped to glance back at the Mirkwood Prince curiously. Something about the corners of Legolas's lips hinted at mischief, and Hattie knew whatever came next would not be good.

"After all, we have not seen an axe hunt against a bow in some time. Perhaps one of them is the better. There is but one way to know."

"Are you proposing a contest lad?" Gimli guessed, his sour expression trading itself for a challenging smile.

 _Oh, yeah, not good._ Hattie groaned.

"The one with the greatest number of game by the end of this day is the winner." Legolas proposed, "Gimli, you will have your axe, Haldir and I our bows, and Rúmil his snares."

"And what of the witch?" Gimli asked. Before Hattie could raise her hands and claim that she wanted nothing to do with this, Legolas spoke on her behalf.

"She can be our impartial judge."

 _"Lertara ea i'ann acca?"_ (Can she be the prize too?) Rúmil questioned in elvish. Whatever he said wiped away Legolas's mischievous smirk for a much harsher expression. Withering seemed to be the right word for it. Haldir then took up the slacking conversation.

"She can determine a prize if need be, that is if she agrees to be judge."

Everyone then turned to Hattie, making her flinch under the pressure of their gazes. They seemed already to be in competitive mode, so she doubted any objection she had would be heeded. Seeing little choice, she shrugged.

"Uh…sure?"

"Then it is settled. He with the greatest number of game by sunset shall be the winner." Haldir announced with finality. Once more the elves and the dwarf looked to Hattie. They seemed to be waiting for something. Taking the hint, Hattie cleared her throat.

"Um, okay." She raised a hand in the air, and after a second, brought it down, "Go, I guess."

Gimli took off running. He quickly disappeared into the underbrush of the forest, the crunch of grass and bushes signaling which way he went. Legolas watched this with amusement before he took off towards the east, his pace slow and assured. Haldir did the same after a moment of speaking to Rúmil before leaving Hattie alone with him.

Rúmil gestured Hattie for her to follow him, which she did to a large tree. He climbed up it halfway before offering her a hand.

 _"Mab camen."_ (Take my hand)

Hattie took it, and with little to no effort, he pulled her into the high boughs of the tree. She wondered what this was about when Rúmil jumped down from the tree and took off running. Hattie worried when he was gone for the longest time, but when she heard him bending saplings, she figured he was setting up his snares. This was confirmed when he came back closer to the tree, setting one last one up about twenty feet from them before joining Hattie back up in the tree. He sat opposite her on another branch, reclining himself and resigned to wait for his game to come to him. Maybe he wasn't as eager to compete as the others, but he looked confident.

Silence fell. Rúmil didn't even attempt conversation, not even a whisper so that no game was frightened away. A few times one of the saplings would snap up, and something would squeak. Rúmil then would quickly go and finish whatever had been caught before setting the snare up again. He had with him a sack, which quickly was becoming full of rabbits and hares. Hattie wondered what kind of prize she would make up to whoever won.

 _Maybe I can give away my partially melted bag of gummy bears. And maybe my chocolate - no. Definitely not that. Just the gummies,_ she decided to herself before pulling out her journal.

Now that Hattie had caught up with the contents of The Silmarillion, she decided it was best to catch up on the events that had taken place so far. Namely, everything Lady Galadriel had discussed with her. It hurt, a lot, to think on all of that, but she needed to write it down while it was still somewhat fresh in her mind in case she needed to refer to it later. She bit her lip to the point of bleeding when it came to the memories the Mirror showed her of her and Wolf's death, but she got through it. She would write down Lord Celeborn's conversation eventually too, as well as the ideas for the future events she would eventually need to deal with. There were a lot of concerns and details to get right. She had a lot to make up for too.

Like with Gimli. While it wasn't necessary for him to trust her, Hattie at least wanted to apologize to him properly. It would make things work out in the long run. The same went for Legolas...when she found the words. Not right now though. More importantly, Hattie needed to speak to Frodo. He was very depressed and glum thanks to Gandalf's death and Hattie didn't really help in that regard. She wanted to give him some words of encouragement, maybe a few for Sam too since they would both have the worst of it. And Boromir...

Hattie's pen stilled. Boromir. What was she going to do about him?

 _Nothing. I can't do anything. Things have to remain on course._

Boromir...Boromir had to die. Him trying to take the Ring from Frodo prompts the hobbit to strike off of his own, the only way the mission will ever succeed. And Boromir's death ensured that Merry and Pippin were captured by the orcs, later to escape and come across the Ents. That was absolutely essential to the defeat of Saruman, which was Hattie last and only hope to confront the wizard and send her home. Not to mention, it was Boromir's death the drove the Steward of Gondor over the edge of insanity, making him kill himself in grief and making way for Aragorn to smoothly take his place on the throne without any of Denethor's supporters standing in his way. There was no way to go around it. Boromir had to die...right?

 _Friend...he called me his friend. My only friend in this fucked up world and I'm going to let him die. I'm the worst. I'm not even human..._

Doubt started to creep into Hattie as sunset approached. Following that quickly was panic.

What if he did die and nothing went right? What if the Uruk-Hai killed her? What if the rest of the Fellowship decided they never wanted anything to do with her and decided to leave her behind? What if when they finally reunited with Gandalf, the wizard decided she was too much of a failure and abandoned her in Fangorn? What if Saruman already had summoned one of Tolkien's books and knew everything? The entire Fangorn Forest could be on fire already and they would never know. Without the Ents, what hope was there? In that case, should Frodo and Sam really separate from the group or should they all go together? But then that meant that they would never go to Rohan and rally against Isengard's forces. Saruman would never be defeated. Then eventually the Fellowship would be captured and the White City would fall and Sauron would win.

Maybe then it would be better to shake things up. Throw some curveballs that would stump Saruman. What if Boromir lived? What if he lived and he stayed by Aragorn's side? But how would Hattie save him? If she told him of his impending death, would it in fact do anything or was Boromir fated to die no matter what she did? What if she told him and he left the Fellowship, becoming their enemy? What if he tried to take the Ring again?

What if everything somehow worked out smoothly, perfectly, only for Hattie to find out that Saruman couldn't send her home? What if her body back on earth was truly dead and it was impossible for her to be sent back? What if her mother could no longer stand to sit beside her comatose body and pulled the plug? What if she was trapped in this fake body for all of eternity? She wouldn't age, she wouldn't die, she would be trapped forever in a body that was made for a disgusting purpose. Trapped forever with all her mistakes and the knowledge that this will never be like home no matter how fantastical it all was. She'd never go home. She'd never see her mother. She'd never live another day with hope or happiness or laughter or Wolf or-!

Hattie was hyperventilating. Her thoughts were rushing by too quickly for her to comprehend them, but the anxiety behind them built up with each one. She felt sick. She was going to vomit. Her body told her to get out of the tree before that could happen, but she could only remain seated on the branch, shaking like a leaf.

 _Maybe Galadriel's right. I should just stay in Lothlorien. No matter how much I plan or what I try to do, something will inevitably go wrong. I can't do this. What made me think I could do this? I don't have what it takes. I can't-!_

"Tiro!" (Look!)

The voice of Rúmil snapped Hattie's attention to him, breaking the spiral of her thoughts.

He was still seated opposite her but was pointing off into the forest. Following his hand, Hattie was surprised to see a herd of deer approaching. There were about seven of them, mostly does with one proud looking stag. They were grazing nearby to where the snares were laid, but so far not one of them got stuck. Then, prancing from some bushes, came a little fawn. It went up to what had to be its mother, nuzzling her side to signal its hunger. The mother obliged, continuing to graze while the fawn suckled.

Hattie found her breath slow itself to a more reasonable pace. Idly watching the deer helped her get out of her head. After a while, she was able to put her thoughts into a more reasonable perspective. There were so many things that could go wrong, yes, but she would never know unless she tried. Returning home, going back to her mother, holding onto the hope that kept her breathing…for all of that, she would at least try.

After a while, Rúmil turned to face Hattie, smiling. He then pointed to the fawn that was now tripping over its gangly legs.

 _"Opole."_ He whispered. Then he pointed to Hattie's face.

" _Opole."_ He repeated. Hattie absently reached up to touch her cheeks, a memory clicking into place. He had called her that before, many times.

" _Opole?_ Fawn?" She guessed. Aragorn did tell her how the elf was talking about how her freckles reminded him of a fawn's hide.

Rúmil then brought his hands together in a universal gesture for little.

" _Pîn opole."_

"Little fawn?"

Rúmil nodded, and Hattie found herself smiling. She knew that he was probably only teasing her with this nickname, but she liked it better than being called the Stranger of the Stars. Maybe Rúmil wasn't the worst elf ever. Her opinion of him only grew when he took his bow and struck some of the nearby branches of their tree. This effectively startled the deer herd to run off deeper into the wood, ensuring that none of them would accidentally be caught up in his snares.

"Lle...lle han..." Hattie found herself stuttering before she even knew what she was trying to say.

 _"Lle hannon?"_ (Thank you?) Rúmil finished for her. Hattie nodded. Rúmil then put a hand to his chest.

 _"Lle naa ita alatulya."_ (You are very welcome.)

Hattie frowned. She knew she had heard Legolas use that phrase before.

"Okay, so _lle_ means 'you', and _alatulya_ maybe is 'welcome', but..." She guessed but became stuck. Grammar, no matter what the language, always stumped her. Luckily, Rúmil again came to her rescue.

" _Naa_ is 'are'. _Ita_ is 'very'. Hence, you are very welcome."

"Oh, okay. Thanks." She smiled. It was nice to have that phrase figured out. Maybe next time in polite conversation with an elf, she would –

Hattie froze. Her eyes widened in shock. Rúmil, seeing that his little game with her had come to an end, couldn't help but laugh.

"I knew it!" She screamed, pointing an accusing finger at the elf who could speak Common all along. She had a thousand obscenities at the ready to throw at him, but another scream overtook them.

It was the scream of a wild thing, and following it all too quickly as a very crude dwarvish curse. Following that was a loud 'thunk!' like a bone being crunched. Rúmil listened intently, he and Hattie sharing a worried glance before springing into action.

 _Great. Just great. Gimli got himself eaten by something. I knew something like this would happen!_

Rúmil jumped down first, Hattie following less gracefully. The elf took off running in the direction of the noise while drawing his bow. He seemed torn between charging at full speed and leaving Hattie behind. But she did her best to keep up with him, and adrenaline increased her speed.

Soon enough they came across a clearing. Hattie didn't know what to expect. Blood, gore, a discarded dwarf boot? Instead, there was only Gimli sitting on top of something that looked like a giant hairy pig three times his size. A boar, Hattie realized. His foot was on its neck, his axe embedded deeply into its skull that bled out a combination of red and pink ooze. He looked up from the pipe he was casually lighting to give Hattie and Rúmil a grin.

"Ah, I was wondering when you all would be joining me. Best think up a good prize now, witch." He boasted confidently. Before either of them had the chance to speak, Haldir and Legolas came down out of the trees, surprising Hattie and making her shriek. They must have heard the commotion too, and used their freakish tree-climbing abilities to make it over. Gimli wasted no time in gloating to them as well.

"I do believe I have won, master elves."

"An impressive kill, to be sure master dwarf." Legolas whistled, looking mildly impressed. But then he set down a pair of sacks, filled to the brim with game birds such as pheasants, grouse, and quail. Glancing over at Haldir, Hattie could see he had on his back a line with numerous fish strung up by their jaws.

 _Shit. Did he shoot those with arrows? How the hell did he do that?_

"But I do believe the terms of the contest were he who should have the greatest _number_ of game by sunset shall be the winner." Legolas finished. Despite Rúmil having left his game behind, it was clear the Mirkwood Prince was the winner here by those rules. Gimli's grin fell, but he did not waver.

"Aye. That would still be me. Even with all your birds, and rabbits, and other critters, this beast here will feed a larger number of bellies, I can tell you that much."

"That may be, but the beast still only counts as one." Legolas countered. From where she stood, Hattie when shock still.

"But we shall leave that to our judge to decide. Miss O'Connor, what say you?" Legolas asked, and all eyes turned onto her.

Hattie didn't notice though. She was too busy trying not to shake. Her arms wrapped around her middle, her broken finger twinging a little in pain as she clutched her sides. Every ounce of her effort went into trying to stop what came bubbling up, but it was too late. She couldn't hold it in.

She burst with laughter. Mad, breathless laughter. It almost felt odd. It had been so long since she truly laughed without any kind of bitterness or anxiety to it, so she happily suffered the odd sensation in her chest that built up when she became unable to pull air into her lungs.

"Only…counts…as…one!" She choked out, eyes watering.

Around her, the elves and dwarf watched the woman with some concern. Some of them, like Legolas, smiled and took her odd outburst of humor in stride. Others, like Rúmil, couldn't help but mutter worriedly.

 _"Naa rya rangen?"_ (Is she broken?)

 **~o0o~**

It was late at night when Hattie's portion of the work was finally finished, and she itched for a bath. As Haldir had promised, Hattie didn't have to partake in the actual hunting, but when it came to the cleaning and gutting…

 _Nope. Nope, not thinking on that anymore. That's all my nopes. I'm never again using a magic mirror without permission._ Hattie shook away the imagery as she tried to keep the light dinner she had forced herself to eat in her stomach.

At least Haldir was there to instruct her, Rúmil as well, though he more sat on the sidelines and laughed at all her disgusted expressions. Still, it was a task that needed to be done. Oddly, for their vegetarian habits, the elves were adept at this. Hattie questioned if maybe they simply saw it as the circle of life kind of stuff, even if they themselves did not eat meat. Either way, Hattie wasn't quite so sure if she herself would ever be able to look at steak the same way again.

It was over with though, and now Hattie sat by the fire Legolas had built earlier, tried but happy. Despite her panic earlier, she felt almost optimistic. Amazing what a good belly laugh could do for one's spirits. And not just her mood improved either. Gimli was almost positively jovial, chatting and chuckling with the elves with barely a dwarfish curse to be muttered. Of course, Hattie declaring him the winner of their little competition seemed to help some.

When Hattie had recovered from her laughing fit, she felt he had no choice but to give the dwarf the win. Surprisingly, none of the elves protested, but it could be that they very well knew who really was the _technical_ winner. Still, Gimli happily accepted the victory, and even now boasted about keeping the boar's hide as a cloak for himself. He made it very clear that Hattie needed to still come up with a prize for him though, and Hattie knew her bag of gummy bears wouldn't be enough.

Despite this lifted mood, Hattie kept to herself after her gruesome work – after washing her hands in a nearby stream, of course – and went back to her book and journal. While she was no closer to coming to a solution for most of the troubles or scenarios she might face ahead, she wrote as many possible responses down for later consideration. Even, in as a detached manner as she could, the ones about Boromir's death.

 _God, I feel like I am some kind of perverted Dungeon Master coming up with the worst game of D & D ever..._

Hattie's self-loathing was interrupted by a voice speaking up beside her.

"Miss O'Connor, would you care for some?"

Hattie nearly fell off of the boulder she had been perched on, recovering only to press her books to her chest protectively. It wasn't Rúmil like she expected, as she looked up to see none other than Legolas towering over her.

He was holding a wineskin in his hand which he kept extended towards her. Hattie had seen Haldir take it out of his pack earlier to share amongst themselves for a successful hunt, Gimli taking only a sip before once again complaining about its taste. Hattie hadn't expressed any desire for some, so the offer caught her completely off guard.

"Apologies. I did not mean to startle you." He frowned, noticing her apprehensive staring.

"Oh, no. It's fine." She blustered, not wanting to offend. She set aside her books and reached out to accept the wineskin, timidly taking a sip and trying not to think about whose lips had been on it before hers. A potent rush of warmth flowed down her throat, but it was much more pleasant than the last time. Maybe the taste of wine had grown on her.

Figuring Legolas would want it back, Hattie held it out for him to take, but instead, he simply took the opportunity to observe the bandage on her hand.

"How is your finger? Is it healing well?"

"Hm?" Hattie frowned, only to catch what he was staring at, "Oh. Y-yeah, it's better now."

Experimentally she moved the fingers for him, showing only the slightest of stiffness in the one that had been broken. It didn't even hurt anymore, and she found it strange how she suddenly realized she never took anything for the pain or needed a cast, yet it seemed to be healing perfectly. And quickly. Perhaps Galadriel was right. This body was stronger and more resilient than that of a normal human.

 _With great power…comes great responsibility…this is my superhero origin story. Or villain._

Legolas nodded, happy to hear such news, but still did not take the wineskin from her. Hattie only continued to hold it out to him, wondering if maybe he wanted to her to take another sip and that's why he hesitated. To her dread, she found out his real intention when he moved closer to her, seating himself opposite her on another moss-covered stone.

"If you would permit me, I would like to speak with you." He told her, though his tone sounded more like a question, "I realize your accusations towards me that day were not unwarranted, and you deserve an explanation."

"I don't know if we have anything to really talk about," Hattie muttered before she knew it. The brief wounded expression that passed on Legolas's face was not missed by her. She didn't mean to be rude; it was just that she truly did not know what they could say to each other yet. She was still trying to make sense of it all in her own mind, her emotions mixed, and she didn't want to blurt out something she would regret. He just…he just confused her so much.

Legolas surprised Hattie out of her thoughts when he leaned forward to her, speaking gently and with such sincerity, it alarmed her.

"I understand. Then I shall only express my deepest of regrets to you. I never sought to harm you."

He then made to stand and leave, but after biting down on her bottom lip in thought for the briefest of seconds, Hattie stopped him.

"Then why did you do it?"

Her question was a meek invitation for Legolas to sit down again, and he smiled in gratitude. She didn't know that he was so eager to talk to her. Had the things she shouted at him after her meeting with Galadriel upset him that much? Hattie didn't think the Mirkwood Prince could have been so easily affected by her, by anyone. And yet, it seemed that he had.

The realization of the looming conversation that was about to happen caused Hattie to glance towards the others. They were near enough that the two Lothlorien brothers would definitely be able to hear with their freakish ears, but as if knowing how awkward she felt, the two of them began to sing for Gimli's entertainment. It sounded cheerful, and Hattie wondered what it meant as she felt it calm her nerves some. Still, she needed more fortification and took another sip from the wineskin as Legolas started to speak.

"When I first came upon you in the woods near Imladris...I thought you a river nymph."

Hattie choked, nearly spitting up the wine that now burned her throat raw as she forced herself to swallow. Her chest spasmed with coughs for a minute as the wine went down the wrong pipe, and it took her an embarrassingly long time to recover enough to speak.

"A _what?_ "

Her wide-eyed shock and near-death by wine seemed to amuse Legolas, and a smirk grew on his lips as he elaborated.

"So strange and ethereal was your appearance to me, so tied was your flesh to the nature of both water and earth, and protected by a large beast of the forest no less…I believed you a spirit of the river Bruinen brought to life by the inscription of my kin on your back."

This wasn't what she had expected to hear from Legolas when she agreed to talk. She could hardly believe he was referring to when they first met, his account so drastically different from her experience. The way he talked about her, like she was some creature out of legend, made her body suddenly feel very flushed. She blamed it on the coughing fit she had suffered.

"And yet, I could tell at once you were not something of this realm. I could see it, as clearly as the markings on your back, the brimming of magic that had summoned you here. It was so strong, so potent as if you yourself might be one of the Maiar. It was then I wrongly assumed you to be allied with the enemy."

"Not _entirely_ wrong." Hattie muttered, the strange warmth his words created all too quickly replaced with misery, "Does it…does it really show? What he did to me? Did you know that he brought me over?"

Legolas frowned, taking a moment to understand who she was speaking of. His brows knitted together in troubled thought.

" _Mithrandir_ perhaps knew. He knew the treachery of Saruman better than any of us and knew what deeds he was willing to commit for his new master. _Mithrandir_ might have very likely deduced it was the White Wizard who brought you over and chose to keep that knowledge to himself. As for me…" He paused to look at her a moment, his eyes traveling over her, so intense in their study that Hattie felt oddly vulnerable, "Nay, I did not know. And I cannot see it, even now. Perhaps you think yourself tainted by what he has done to you, or the body you now possess. But there is no mark of evil upon you, whatever you may believe."

"Really?" She bit her lip, desperately needing his assurance. He gave her a comforting smile.

"The enchantment upon you is of powerful magic, yes, but magic is its own force. No matter how it is wielded, at its core, it is ever pure."

Hattie let out a sigh of relief she didn't know was even holding. It had been one thing to learn about Saruman's involvement in her being summoned to Middle-earth, it was another to know that he had forced her into an inhuman body to keep her there. A body that wasn't her own, no matter how closely it resembled her former self. But...if Legolas said it wasn't so bad...then maybe she could learn to like it. At least long enough until she was able to punch the White Wizard in the nose and tell him to send her back.

"True magic is neither black or white. It's both because nature is both. Loving and cruel, all at the same time." Hattie found herself reciting quietly to herself, suddenly reminded of what her grandmother had spoken to her when she was little. It had sounded so strange when she first heard it, but now she wondered just how her grandmother could have known so much about the subject.

Catching Legolas's curious stare, Hattie shrugged.

"My grandmother told me that. I think she might have been a witch, in a way. Or at least she was a hippy. Either way, she burned a lot of sage."

She expected her words to faze him, but Legolas only gave her a teasing smirk.

"And did she teach you her ways? Perhaps the dwarf is not wrong about you. You are a dark enchantress."

 _Oh god...why do I feel warm again?_

"No, I'm not. And I'm not a seer either." Hattie swallowed, nervously laughing to shake off the feeling.

"That I find hard to believe." He rebuffed, finally continuing, "When _Estel_ and I brought you to the others, and you were able to name Frodo as the Ring Bearer, it was quite a shock. You, so strange to this world, and yet you knew its history and future so well. Seer or not, you do have the gift of sight. I am sorry to say it only painted you with suspicion in my eyes. _Mithrandir_ no doubt could see the magic in you as I, and yet it was a surprise that he kept that knowledge from the others and chose to trust you."

"So why didn't you say anything?" Hattie pressed, wanting to know the answer to this most of all.

"I thought _Mithrandir_ acted with good intentions. Your finding the Fellowship was, after all, something more than coincidence was capable of. And if _Mithrandir_ , as you said, knew of the peril he would face before we were to reach Lothlorien, I suspect your knowledge was a comfort to him that we would still have guidance. That would have been reason enough to keep your strange origin a secret, for the benefit of the others and, possibly, yourself."

"How do you mean?" Hattie puzzled, allowing herself to be distracted even though she knew he hadn't really answered her first question.

"Would you have come with us if you knew that only the White Wizard would be able to send you back? Would you have been able to smile or laugh or hope if you knew the truth back then?"

His direct questions caused Hattie to flinch. She wanted to get mad at him and tell him it wasn't his place to guess what was good for her. But then, Hattie admitted to herself that until recently she herself hadn't been all that interested in the truth. How she was summoned...who summoned her...why she was here. She hadn't questioned it then because it terrified her, and she only wanted to go home. It had taken all of her resolve and desperation to agree to go with the Fellowship as far as Lothlorien. If she found out then she would have to travel even farther, suffer even more all the way to Saruman's doorstep...no. She wouldn't have been able to handle that. She wasn't entirely certain she could handle it now.

"I simply believed Mithrandir did not think your origins necessary to disclose and followed his example despite my own misgivings. His wisdom, while at times unorthodox, is seldom mistaken. Yet I was unaware of the promise of aiding you home _Mithrandir_ offered in condition to accompanying us. And I was unaware of the possibility of you being sent back if you were to have…" Legolas did not finish, instead choosing to move past, "If I had, perhaps I would have spoken sooner. I see now it was ignorant of me to think you were aware of your own circumstance, especially since you spoke of having lost your memories. I cannot express my regret."

Hattie wondered why he was apologizing again to her. Him not saying anything about her 'condition' to her or the others wasn't any worse than what Gandalf did. Less really, since Gandalf willfully knew everything and yet didn't say anything, so this was a bit much. But then Hattie remembered what else she had accused Legolas of.

 _"Why didn't you shoot me when you first saw me? Galadriel said that it would have been kinder if I died sooner! Maybe I could have been sent back! So why didn't you kill me?!"_

Hattie took a generous gulp of the wineskin, hoping to wash away the taste of self-disgust.

"That wasn't fair of me to say that. You didn't know. I just wanted to be angry at someone other than myself. And since Gandalf and Saruman weren't around, it ended up being you." She handed him wineskin with a meek smile, "For the record, I'm glad you didn't shoot me when we met."

The elven prince chuckled lightly before he took a sip, and the mood lightened momentarily.

"Nay, I did deserve your wrath. In part at least. Even though _Mithrandir_ told us that you were willing to use your gift of sight for our benefit, I still treated you with suspicion. As a being from another realm, how could I trust your nature? Otherworldly and enigmatic, as a star fallen to earth. There could be no knowing. You were a complete mystery to me. Nothing in all my hundreds of years could prepare me for a being such as you."

 _Oh boy._ Hattie nervously gulped, _That wine must be getting to me. I feel warm again._

"I could not help but wonder if you were as innocent as you acted. Why did you not speak at times when danger was upon us, although your actions clearly spoke that you knew what would happen before it occurred? Why were you so anxious around the Steward-Prince? Why did you deceive the dwarf when he asked of his kin? Why would you continue to lie, though I made it known I could hear the falsehood in the beat of your heart? I see now that this was merely the way you sought to protect yourself. The desperate acts of a child in a world not her own."

His summation was not off its mark, and yet Hattie didn't like how right he was. She had admitted it before that she could have done better by them, but to be called a child too...she didn't want to be seen like that. Not by him. Even if she was a brat.

"Yeah…that's fair. I haven't really given any of you guys reason to trust or like me very much." She admitted again, more for his sake. Legolas did not appreciate the humility of it as he again smirked.

"That, and your assault on me with your 'dog whistle' did very little soothe my misgivings."

"I said I was sorry! How was I supposed to know your ears are that freakishly good?" Hattie protested, but she was smiling as well. It slowly went away as she found herself continuing.

"It was just, I was scared. I didn't want to mess anything up. Like I said, I looked up to you guys. Where I'm from, you are all heroes of one of the greatest stories ever written. I didn't want to do anything that could ruin the story that my grandmother read to me. What if my actions changed the outcome? And if that happened…if I did ruin something, then I was afraid things wouldn't go right for myself. Like when I picked up the Ring instead of Boromir on the mountain, but a lot worse. If the story went off track, if I messed something up, I would end up dead. All I had was what I knew. I can't fight like you guys. I can't survive on my own. I knew you would all hate me after Gandalf left, but I knew I had to let it happen so everything else would fall into place and I would get back home."

Hattie regretted looking back up at Legolas after she was done. She could see something in his expression that pained her. His grief for Gandalf was still too near. And here she was admitting her cowardly part in his friend's death. How could she have ever thought she was justified in being angry at him for keeping secrets when she kept far worse?

"Sorry. I just…sorry." Hattie muttered, knowing it wouldn't change anything. Legolas shook his head, neither accepting nor rejecting her apology.

"As I said before, I do believe _Mithrandir_ entered Moria of his own volition, of which we had all voted was our only option."

The two of them remained silent for a time, letting their thoughts sink in. Hattie wasn't certain if there was anything more to say, but she didn't want the conversation to end just yet. She reached for the wineskin, taking a larger gulp from it when Legolas gave it to her. Soon her curiosity found another question she was burning to ask.

"But if you really did feel that way about me, distrusted me, then why did you help me and Wolf?"

Legolas hesitated for the longest time, and Hattie was afraid she had said something wrong until he spoke.

"It is because I felt…responsible for you. I was wary of you and your intentions, for any harm you brought to the Fellowship, I would be to blame. It was I who found you, after all."

Legolas then looked away from her, as if meeting her eyes brought him discomfort. Hattie took a moment to recognize it as embarrassment.

"For that same reason, I felt protective of you as well. Again, it was I who found you, so if you should come to any harm during your time with the Fellowship, I would not forgive myself. That is why I could not let your hound be separated from you. I knew he was not only your protection but one of the few ties to your world you had left. To force you to leave him behind would be too cruel. I am only sorry that he was taken from you anyway. He seemed a wise and fiercely loyal creature."

"Yeah. He was." Hattie whispered. He didn't need to say he was sorry. It had been her fault Wolf got hurt in the first place. She took a couple more gulps from the wineskin to wash out the dry lump that had formed in her throat. The liquid warmth made her bolder and she found herself asking another question.

"Is that why you stared at me all the time? Because you didn't trust me and because you wanted to look out for me?"

Legolas tilted his head, his expression more amused than embarrassed now as he disarmingly smirked.

"I was not aware I was being so obvious."

"Oh, you were. Sometimes it felt like your eyes were burning holes in the back of my head." Hattie chuckled, and then a thought occurred to her.

 _Maybe…maybe that's why his expressions were always so unreadable to me. He himself didn't know how he felt about me…_

"So…what now?" Hattie was prompted to ask, Legolas frowned in confusion before she continued, "How do you feel about me now?"

Hattie felt a strange rush of giddiness when she noticed that she had managed to surprise him with her direct question. She didn't mind that he took a while to answer.

"You are still a mystery to me. But one I think…I should like to understand."

"Ditto."

"Did what?"

"I feel the same. About you." She faltered, trying to find words in the strange fog that came over her brain, "I want…I want you to like me. I can understand if you don't trust me, but maybe after a while, we can…I don't know."

Hattie bit her lip, disappointed that she couldn't say something more confident. But she was confused. What did she want them to be? Friends? Comrades? She wasn't sure. After all, she was planning on leaving him and everyone else behind as soon as she could. Boromir's friendship had been an accident, and Hattie already felt guilty enough about it. But maybe…maybe it would be nice to have another friend here. Maybe if she did actually try to help him and the Fellowship…maybe it would make her time here a little better? But how would she do that? She couldn't change anything…could she?

Legolas, sensing her sudden confliction, elegantly changed the subject.

"Well, our views of one another can only improve I believe. I am only your _third_ favorite elf after all."

"Oh, god, you remember that?" Hattie giggled, surprising herself with how loud it was. Where did that come from? She looked at the wineskin in her hands as if it had answers.

"Of course. It is not a comment I have often heard." Legolas grinned, taking advantage of her newfound directness, "Tell me, who is above me in your opinion? How many elves do you already know to form such a ranking?"

Hattie only disappointed him with a shake of her head.

"You don't want to know that."

"I do. I want to know who I must surpass."

Hattie snorted. This was the longest conversation she had with the elf, and she couldn't help but find the turn it took funny. Regardless, she knew she couldn't leave him without an answer for long. But she definitely needed more liquid courage before she did, and took another swig from the wineskin.

 _How much wine is even in this thing? It's bottomless. Maybe it's elf magic. Oh boy, it's really warm out tonight._

"Okay. Number one on my list…is Lúthien." She confessed, and the name surprised Legolas greatly.

"Truly?"

"Yeah, of course. She was not only an incredible elf but an amazing woman. She momentarily defeated Sauron and stole a Silmaril from Melkor's crown. Plus, she also had a talking dog like me."

"Your _druag_ could speak?" Legolas frowned at that piece of news. Hattie only then realized she never told anyone that Wolf could talk to her. She wondered why it was so easy to tell him.

"Only in my head. It was kind of creepy but comforting, you know? Anyway, not important." She waved off his curiosity, "Lúthien not only did all those things, but she did it for love of a mortal. The first union of elf and man. She even moved Mandos to pity with her singing to revive her lover. That woman was a-maze-ing."

Hattie worried that maybe all this fangirling was too much. She and Legolas only just had their first decent conversation together, it was too soon for fangirling. But Legolas didn't seem to mind it. If anything, Hattie wondered if he maybe found her in-depth knowledge impressive.

"Then we are of one and the same opinion. I remember hearing the tales of her life and love when I was but a child and admired her strength and compassion." He sighed at the memory, but then shook his head in disappointment, "I fear that I cannot compete with Lúthien. You have chosen too well."

"I don't know, you have a pretty amazing singing voice too." Hattie blurted out, uncertain why she felt the compulsion to tell him.

 _It…it can't be the wine, can it? Oh…oh no. I'm drunk…_

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, totally. I really like it. It helps keep the nightmares away too, so like bonus." Hattie confessed, unable to stop herself. It didn't matter if she knew she was drunk now, the warmth and giddiness that flowed through her felt too good to resist. For once, it was easy to talk to the Mirkwood Prince. Words flowed so easily between them. Maybe if she had gotten drunk sooner, things would have been better between them.

"Still, second place is nothing to be ashamed of. Come, tell me who I must replace."

Hattie groaned, shaking her head miserably.

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"It's too weird."

Legolas smirked disarmingly once more, but this time there was something in his eyes that shined with too much amusement that told Hattie he was very much aware how charming he could be. He leaned forward then, resting his elbows on his knees so that his face was brought closer to hers.

 _"Lá. Amin boe sint."_ (Please. I must know.)

Hattie couldn't bite down on her tongue fast enough to keep herself from letting it slip.

"It's…Thranduil."

Legolas backed away from her, clearly surprised. His brows lowered themselves in displeasure then, and Hattie wondered if she should have included the King's proper title in her confession.

"My father?"

"I will admit, in the books he wasn't such a big deal to me. But I simply could not resist his look in the new Hobbit movies. I mean, that guy did not need a crown to command a room. Do you know what I mean? Plus that whole elk thing. Who rides an elk? Oh, god, and his eyebrows! His _eyebrows!_ " She gestured wildly, hoping to convey her meaning. There was a ringing in her head now, and she clapped a hand over her mouth, thinking she was being too loud. She glanced over to the others by the fire, but they were now bedding down, not even sparing a glance towards her or Legolas. She breathed a sigh of relief to look back at her conversation partner.

Only to frown. Then she leaned forward and squinted. Then, to both their surprise, she started giggling.

"Oh…oh god. You have the same eyebrows. They're beautiful."

Legolas's displeasure seemed to grow and change into something else, and he put a hand up to his temples to hide it. Either he was rubbing his forehead in frustration, or he was trying to contain a pleased laugh, Hattie couldn't tell.

 _"Lle nér lim firen mi exaeg cuil. Lle garbaw turyanwa an edhellen limpe."_ (You were clearly human in your other life. You have no fortitude for elvish wine.)

She didn't understand the elvish, but she understood enough when he then reached forward and took the near-empty wineskin from her. When she tried to keep hold of it, Legolas explained to her in Common.

"I fear you have had too much. Elvish wine happens to have a greater effect on mortals."

"But don't you know? I'm immortal now baby!" She exclaimed in a sing-song voice, finally letting him have the wineskin, "And it's fucking terrifying! I mean, what do you do with forever when you're alone? Plus this body is made of playdoh or something? I don't know. Oh, and here's a fun fact, if I die here, I get to wander as an endless shade forever and ever since I don't belong to this world. No pity from Mandos for me. No siree. Never mind. Forget what I said. I don't want to talk about it anymore. It's still too scary to think about. I'm sleepy."

For some reason, despite the verbal whiplash, Legolas listened to her slurs. His expression softened, though Hattie's brain was too fuzzy to interpret it. Pity? Sympathy? Understanding? He stood up in any case.

"You should get some rest then. It will be a long walk back to Lothlorien with our heavy spoils."

"Right," Hattie nodded enthusiastically, squinting in the dark to try and find where she had laid out her bedroll. She found she had one more thing to say though, and couldn't stop herself, "Sorry you didn't win. If it makes you feel better, Gimli is like only my fourth favorite dwarf right now. Though if he stops calling me witch, I might move him back up to second, so you better hurry."

Hattie managed to catch Legolas's laugh as he retreated back to the fire, she slowly following in a much less graceful stumble. When she curled herself up under her wool blanket, the last thing she was conscious of was Legolas's voice.

 _"Ēd mae, pîn er."_ (Rest well, little one.)

 **~:o:0:o:~**

Ah, man. I loved writing this chapter. The dialogue flowed so naturally when I finally sat my big butt down and did it. Hattie and Legolas still have a long way to go, but I feel as if they have begun the path to friendship. And after that…well, this is a Legolas x OC story. For now, I love where they are at. It feels natural right now, and things will be a bit smoother for them now that everything is out in the open. Oh, to be sure, there will be more drama. Also, I love how unashamedly flirtatious Rumil is, and I kind of hate how I am giving him all the good lines here. I have no regrets though, as he might be my most perfect creation in this story (besides Wolf).

Anyway, I would like to thank everyone for reading this far, and for any follows, favs, or reviews they had made! Know it warms my heart. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank some resources that, without which, I would not be able to make this story as confidently. Firstly, blogger _askmiddlearth_. They answer all those questions that help add depth to the Tolkien experience, especially when it comes to elves and their culture. The site _The One Wiki to Rule Them All_ is also another extremely helpful one for when I happen to forget the name of a certain place or what color someone's eyes are. _Parf Edhellen: An Elvish Dictionary_ is what I primarily use for elvish here, though they might think my grammar is horrible (and they'd be right). These are all excellent sites to waste time on, which I suggest you all go and do.

With that said, please join Hattie in the next chapter as she tries to repair her relationships with some of the members of the Fellowship. Not only that but with the end of the Fellowship's stay in Lothlorien, Hattie knows some decisions must be made. Also, Hattie learns to accessorizes like a dwarf, leaving some elves feeling conflicted.


	17. Test Anxiety is a Real Thing

**Chapter 17; T** **est Anxiety is a Real Thing** **:**

The next chapter is out! And under half a year. Damn, I'm so good! As I always say, I love and appreciate all your reviews, favs, and follows (which we are at 700 now, yay)! I could give you all the same song and dance about being late with this chapter but no one cares about that. So read on my dearies, read on!

 **~:o:0:o:~**

"Look at this mess!" Ólerydwen shrieked.

"I know." Hattie sighed, trying her best not to fidget in her chair as the elven woman continued to force the comb through the knots in her hair.

"Did you wrestle with a Skin-Changer last night? Battle a horde of goblins? Face the Mountains of Wind?" Ólerydwen continued to exclaim, Hattie needing to grip the edge of the vanity in front of her when a particularly large knot met the teeth of the comb. Rather than forcing it through, Ólerydwen mercifully added more of the scented oil that acted as detangler.

The elf could and would not get over the fact that bed head was a thing. No matter what Ólerydwen tried the night before, without fail, it would be a tangled mess in the morning. Ólerydwen seemed to take it as a personal challenge of some kind, and swore she would tame the wavy locks.

Hattie wished her all the luck.

"Just...the usual tossing and turning." Hattie eventually mumbled by way of an answer.

Catching the hesitance in her voice, Ólerydwen paused in her work.

"Did you not take the cordial I gave you last night?"

"It wore off after a bit. I got some sleep though, so it's okay." Hattie confessed, trying not to sound too concerned.

With every passing night, her recurrent nightmare got steadily worse. It never changed so much as more details came to her attention. The pain of her skull cracking, the warmth of her blood spilling, the whimpers of Wolf as he lay dying…the voice calling her over growing louder…

"Hm. Perhaps we may try a stronger one tonight. You need a good night's rest." Ólerydwen suggested, catching Hattie by surprise.

 _Huh, that almost sounded like genuine concern. Maybe Ólerydwen is finally warming up to me._

"The bags under your eyes make you look like a specter of death. It will not do."

 _Oh, no wait. I was wrong,_ Hattie huffed. Ólerydwen didn't leave it at that however, and grabbed the chunk of hair by Hattie's forehead.

"And these! These chopped locks! Why in the name of Eru would you ever do this to yourself? It is mutilation!"

"I like my bangs. They're cute." Hattie insisted.

She had done them herself only yesterday and was quite proud of her work. She used her driver's license for reference to copy her old look and was satisfied with the framing. Course, her bangs might have looked a bit better if she had used actual scissors instead of a hunting knife, but overall, she couldn't complain. It was good to look a bit like her old self again. Living in a body that wasn't hers wasn't easy, so anything Hattie could do to feel more at home within it helped ease the wait she would have to endure until she could go home to her original.

 _Not that I'm looking forward to having asthma again. Oh well,_ Hattie sighed to herself.

Ólerydwen only replied by making an expression of distaste. What Hattie had done was apparently the elvish equivalent as getting a tattoo right smack in the middle of her face the way she went on about it. When Ólerydwen had first seen what Hattie had done, she practically screamed her head off and lectured her for an hour about how absolutely insane all humans were to mutilate themselves in such a manner.

"So, you elves never cut your hair? Ever?" Hattie asked, partially for curiosity's sake but also to stall Ólerydwen from criticizing her again.

"Nay, not unless it is forced upon us. And many of us would rather die than allow such to happen."

"Geez, really?"

"All Eldar have beautiful hair, and we are attracted to hair of exceptional loveliness. But more than that, it is our pride. The braids we place into it are designed with care. With one glance you can tell another elf's lineage, station, craft, and the great deeds they have done. To have those taken from us is to take our identity." Ólerydwen explained, gesturing to her own braids that fell all the way to her waist.

"Huh. I can get that." Hattie said, tilting her head thoughtfully. This of course interfered with Ólerydwen's work.

"Hold still, human."

"Would you stop calling me that? I have a name."

"I am aware. However, I do not like the sound of it. It is too rough and coarse and childish." Insulted, Hattie tried to turn in her chair to glare up the elven lady, but Ólerydwen forced her head back into position, "Hold still I said!"

"Okay, fine. I know my name is silly. But still, I'd prefer not to be called human all the time, okay?" Hattie huffed as Ólerydwen tackled yet another large knot.

 _It's not like I'm human anymore anyway..._

Hattie once more tried to shake her thoughts away, but with Ólerydwen's vice-like grip, that proved to be impossible. She was still herself. Even if this body was a well-made copy, she was still, in essence, a human. And she would be fully human when she got home. She would just have to wait a bit longer, and then everything will be back to the way it was. She would soon look in the mirror and everything would be right again. For now she would just pretend it was.

"By the way...Lord Celeborn has met with _Estel_." Ólerydwen brought up suddenly. Immediately Hattie's heart began to flutter in a panic.

"Aragorn? Why?"

"To discuss with him your accompanying the Fellowship."

"Lady Galadriel agreed?!" Hattie shouted, sitting up. Thankfully for all involved, Ólerydwen had finished combing through her hair, so there were no unfortunate accidents. The elven lady took the time to set aside the comb and hair oil, keeping Hattie on edge with anticipation.

"She is...tentative. She is keeping watch over the White Wizard to make certain he remains ignorant of your presence here, as well as the location of the Ring. If he remains so she will leave the decision to _Estel_."

"Oh."

This…this hadn't been what Hattie had hoped to hear. Then again, she didn't really know what more she could have expected. She slumped back into the chair, giving Ólerydwen the opportunity to braid her long hair back to give it some semblance of elegance.

It had now been three weeks since the Fellowship had arrived at Lothlorien, and soon they were to depart. As it was, Hattie's situation remained on a razor's edge.

After the hunting trip, Hattie tried to act as if things were normal. Lord Celeborn spoke with her again, and though he agreed she should accompany the Fellowship, Lady Galadriel remained steadfast in her decision to keep Hattie in Lothlorien. While it was nice to have Lord Celeborn on her side it was Lady Galadriel who really needed convincing. While the couple continued to quarrel, Hattie preoccupied herself by resuming training with Boromir and Aragorn. For reasons she couldn't really understand though, Lord Celeborn told Hattie that she would have to keep the vision she had of reuniting with her mother to herself. He insisted the vision was something far too unstable for it to be reliable, even though Hattie believed it, heart and soul.

If Lord Celeborn took the Ranger into his confidence - baring the vision of course - then there would be several problems. Namely the Lady Galadriel's worry about Saruman discovering Hattie's whereabouts. No doubt this would be a concern to Aragorn as well. Their mission was to protect the Ringbearer and to have to worry about Hattie being discovered or captured…well, it was a lot of work. That and Hattie wasn't entirely too popular with some in the group. Frodo was still very much depressed, and Gimli still thought of her as a dark enchantress. If the decision was being left to Aragorn on whether or not Hattie would be able to go with the Fellowship, she didn't like her chances even if Lady Galadriel now agreed.

 _Maybe, maybe I should finally talk to him,_ Hattie considered.

Hattie, ever the student, had kept up with her efforts to come up with a plan that covered all bases to ensure that Saruman was defeated. Being a seer was not easy work, but Hattie had come to some conclusions. Many of them weren't any good, but it was better than nothing. And of course, one of those involved how she would persuade Aragorn to let her come along with the Fellowship. As the leader, he most definitely needed to be on her side if she was to succeed. Now if only she could find the courage to talk to him about it. While a good student, Hattie was not a good debater; arguing of any kind, even pretend, usually made her cry.

But she had to try. For the sake of her mother, of returning home, she had to try.

"There. Done. You now look acceptable." Ólerydwen announced then.

"Great. Can I go now?" Hattie stood up, eagerly gathering some things from off of her bed. As much as she wanted to go and talk to Aragorn immediately, she already had something planned for today that was just as important and nerve-wracking.

"If you so wish," Ólerydwen smirked, "But first, perhaps you would like to put some clothes on, yes?"

Halfway to the door, Hattie froze. Looking down, she frowned at the sheer nightgown she still had on.

"Oh. Sure. That might be good."

One quick change into a more appropriate dress later, and Hattie was finally on her way. She had her journal and supplies with her, but most importantly she had her red bandana. And wrapped up in her bandana was hopefully something that would help her repair her standing with a certain dwarven Fellowship member.

As she had come to expect from her time in Lothlorien there was a guard waiting to escort her at the bottom of the stairs of her little tree. Today it was Orophin, Haldir's other brother, who was nice if silent elf. If only he could have helped her find out which direction she needed to go because Hattie had no idea.

 _The training grounds? No. The glade where the Fellowship sleep? No. What about the gardens? No, definitely not._ Hattie sighed.

This was beginning to be a waste of time. If only she could find a member of the Fellowship to give her directions. But they all seemed to be out doing their own things today; the hobbits no doubt already training with Aragorn, Boromir probably with them, and Legolas off exploring Lothlorien again. How dare they have lives when she needed them! Eventually, Hattie found what she had been looking for when she had the brilliant idea to try looking in the Lothlorien forgery.

When she entered, the first thing that came to her attention was the gleaming weaponry that lined the walls. Elvish blades and knifes winked sharply by the fire of the forge, and for a moment Hattie couldn't tear her eyes away from them. They were works of art, plain and simple. She had to fight the urge to run up and touch one, knowing she'd slit her hand open if she tried it. Still, to see an authentic elvish smithery was a dream come true for any nerdy archaeologist. Hattie excitement sobered a bit when she saw Gimli though.

He was behind a grindstone, using a foot pedal to turn it as he sharpened one of his axes. Sparks jumped from the contact, but the dwarf hardly minded them as he took a bucket and dumped water over it. The sound of metal on stone ran a disturbing shiver down Hattie's spin, another following when Gimli finally noticed her.

"What is it, witch?" He asked her as he paused in his work.

Hattie's mouth fell open, but no answer came. She had been dreading this for days, trying to work up the courage she needed for this moment.

 _Okay Hattie, now's your chance. You've been practicing in the mirror. Don't mess it up._

"I…I came to see what you were up to." She faltered. The stupidity of her statement hit home when Gimli frowned at her.

"Sharpening. A dull ax ain't good to no one."

"No, I guess it wouldn't."

There was a beat of silence in which the two stared at one another. Hattie worried her bottom lip with her teeth, suddenly too nervous to remember what she had wanted to say. Why didn't she write it down? She knew she was horrible at this kind of thing.

"Anything else?" Gimli asked, snapping Hattie into action.

"R-right. I came to give you your prize."

She came over to where he sat, presenting him with her red bandana. He arched a suspicious brow at it but made no move to take it.

"For winning the hunting contest? Remember?" She said, and the dwarf nodded.

"Oh. Aye."

Taking hold of it, he noticed the weight inside of the bandana, and his frown deepened. Without a word he unwrapped it. Amazingly, his frown deepened even more.

"What is this?"

"It's called a swiss army knife. It's very useful. Here." Hattie smiled, taking it back briefly to open it up for him, "It's got a knife, a screwdriver, a file, corkscrew, can opener, fish scaler with ruler, and even a toothpick!"

As useful as it was, Hattie didn't have much of a need for it. During her time with the Fellowship she nearly forgot she even had this thing. A few times she used it here and there to file down her nails, but not much else. A corkscrew and can opener weren't really called for in these times, and they never ate any fish. Still, she thought that perhaps Gimli would find it interesting. Being a dwarf and all, he might find the mechanics of the tool intriguing, and perhaps he would find a better use for it. She had wanted to give him something a bit more meaningful than a simple trinket.

 _That, and I really don't think he would appreciate my bag of gummy bears..._

But as Hattie handed it back to him, she could hardly miss the look of indifference on his face.

"You don't like it." She withered, all hopes dashed.

"Tis fine."

"Was there something else you had in mind for a prize?"

"Well…" Gimli hesitated, and briefly, he glanced at the journal she had cradled in her other arm, only to shake his head, "No. The knife is fine. Thank you, lass."

Hattie nodded, feeling only a little better that he called her lass instead of witch again. After she had named him the winner of the hunting contest, she had hoped to take advantage of the opportunity to make further amends to Gimli. She knew it wouldn't be much to make up for lying to him about Balin, but she had hoped to at least find the chance to segue into a proper apology. It was long overdue and sorely needed. If Hattie was going to travel with the Fellowship, it would be better for all involved if she at least tried. But more than that, she wanted to do. Because as selfish as it was...she understood now.

Gimli, thinking the moment done, set the swiss army knife aside and went back to spinning the grindstone. He probably expected Hattie to make her goodbye and be on her way, but she lingered. She couldn't leave without saying what she needed to say, but the moment wasn't right. So when she saw him look up at her questioningly she gave him a sheepish smile.

"Never seen an elf forge before. I thought I might take some notes." She gestured with her journal to make her meaning clear.

Going over to an abandoned chair in the corner farthest from the fire, she sat down. She actually had planned on writing a bit more today, catching up on the last of her work in detailing everything she thought would be important to remember for the future. But right now, she itched to sketch out the swords on display. And if Gimli objected to her staying, he didn't show it, which was good enough for Hattie. He finished with the grindstone after a few minutes, and then taking the ax over to a table nearby, brought out a bowl filled with strange yellowish oil. Hattie watched him dip a cloth into the oil before running it over the wooden handle of his double-sided ax.

"What is that?" Hattie asked, curiosity getting the better of her. Gimli seemed like he didn't want to answer, but eventually, he spoke.

"This is linseed oil."

"What's that do?"

"Saturates the wood grain to protect it against scratches and weather."

"Really? That's fascinating."

Gimli stopped. Turning to fully face Hattie, he gave her a hard look.

"I know you to be a curious person, lass. But if there is something you wish to say, might you say it and stop wasting my time?"

His direct question caught her off guard. Without taking a moment to think or remember her practiced speech, she instantly blurted out, "Gimli, I'm sorry."

Immediately, Hattie looked down at the open journal that lay in her lap. She said it. She actually said it. It wasn't how she wanted to say it, but at least part of it was over with. Taking a steadying breath, Hattie rushed to say the rest while nervous surprise was on her side.

"What I did to you, lying about Balin, there's no excuse. I was scared but...no, it was wrong. And there's nothing I can do to make up for it, I know that. Especially now that I know exactly what it's like to have false hope gut you."

Hattie continued to stare at the rough outline of the sword she had been trying to copy the look of. She rubbed one spot until the lead smudged the page, hoping to be excused from the present. She prayed she hadn't gone too far by saying how she felt. Their situations were not exact, but the cruel irony of what happened to her after she had lied to Gimli was not lost on Hattie. Some part of her wondered that if maybe she hadn't lied she still wouldn't be here. Or at least, Wolf would be.

"Aye. I think you do know." Gimli said with a sigh, his look softening, "And you know as well as I, it is not an easy thing to forgive."

Hattie nodded. She hadn't been expecting forgiveness, as much as she wanted it. God knows she still felt conflicted about Gandalf and Lady Galadriel and all they had done. But at least the air was a bit clearer between her and Gimli now and it was some relief. She had to scrunch her nose to keep stop an emotional sting from making her eyes water.

 _Don't cry, don't cry. You don't need puffy eyes as well as dark circles under them. God, don't cry._

"I just…I still want to try and find a way to make it up to you, if you'd let me." She added, trying to smile.

The dwarf frowned in thought for a bit, but finally grunted, "Then I would ask something of you if you are willing."

Hattie's smile grew as she eagerly nodded, not caring what it was she was agreeing to. Gimli hesitated and even started to blush.

"I…um, well…" He stammered, gesturing to the journal in her lap, "I would like a portrait if you would be willing to take a request."

"Sure thing!" She turned to a fresh page and took up her pencil. Seeing her eye his profile, Gimli shook his head.

"Not of myself."

Hattie's brow furrowed in confusion. He did want a portrait, right? But if not of himself, then who...

"Oh. _Oh!_ " She exclaimed, causing Gimli's blush to deepen in color.

Hattie tried to curb her surprise. She should have known. It was kind of sweet in a way, but she supposed Gimli would appreciate it if she kept her comments to herself. Not wanting to further embarrass him, she started to draw. Immediately he started to peer over her shoulder to watch her progress. As it always was when someone observed her drawing, it took a lot longer. That and Gimli kept telling Hattie that Lady Galadriel's hair needed to shine better than the gold of the earth and the stars in the sky, which was kind of difficult to translate onto paper. She ended up drawing the Lady as she remembered when Hattie first met her, otherworldly and beautiful, though Hattie took some artistic liberation and gave her a small smile. Once done, Hattie ripped out the page and handed it to Gimli. He took it, but he didn't look away from her journal.

"What's that lass?" He pointed to the page opposite the one she had ripped out. Looking down, Hattie frowned.

"Hm? Oh, that's just me."

"You look…different."

"Yeah," Hattie shrugged, "That's what I looked like before."

Gimli was right, she did look different. That Hattie, who she drew from memory and her driver's license picture, wasn't quite a stranger but not quite herself. She had chubbier cheeks for one, and no star-shaped scar on her forehead. Her nose was also a little straighter, never having been broken and fixed by a Ranger in the middle of a dark mine. There were no dark circles under her eyes, and she had multiple piercings all along her ears. But the most notable difference was she looked happy.

"Before?" Gimli went on to ask.

"Before I came to this world."

Gimli shifted away then, a little uncomfortable. Maybe he forgot for a moment that she wasn't from Middle-earth, and the revelation startled him all over again. She was the Stranger of the Stars after all. But luckily he didn't start shouting 'witch' at her again. Instead, he pointed to something on the page.

"Your...em, earrings remind me of Dori. He's a bit of a dandy for silver." He said, sounding slightly awkward.

Hattie though instantly perked up.

 _Dori? The Dori? The Dori from the Hobbit, Dori?_

"He's an auger by trade, but he has a fancy streak. Loves to accessorize." Gimli went on, only to add more before Hattie could ask, "An auger is a fancy word for a driller who works in mines."

Hattie nodded in understanding, quickly finding an appropriate page to write down what he told her. While not as large as the elf section of her notes, the dwarf chapter was just as important.

"An auger. That's cool. No wonder Thorin said he was the strongest of the thirteen companions, even if he was a sophisticate. But is there any significance to dwarven ear cuffs? Or what about the braids in your beards? Do they mean something like elven braids? But then Kili never wore any, but that might have been because his beard was too short. Or was it? And is it true that Dori plays the flute?" She asked, looking back up at Gimli eagerly. His eyes widened at her words, unable to mask his surprise.

"I like not that you know so much, lass," He confessed with a shake of his head, "It's not natural."

The friendly moment between them came to a halt, and Hattie cursed her nosiness. Of course, he would find it creepy she knew so much. Everyone else did. Even Galadriel and she was supposed to read minds! But she couldn't help it if this was something she just happened to know a freakish amount of. She was a bookworm and an archeologist. She was supposed to have an eye for the details.

"Sorry. I'm not trying to be rude." Hattie said, trying to find a way to make up for her faux pas. She blabbed the first thing that came to mind and prayed it wouldn't make it worse.

"But can I tell you one thing? In the world I'm from, we don't have any dwarves. They only exist in stories. But of all the dwarves we tell stories about, you are the most famous."

Gimli's jaw dropped for a moment, but then he grimly set it.

"Truly?"

"Yup," Hattie grinned before she leaned in to whisper, "Even more famous than Durin."

The dwarf coughed then, sputtering something like disbelief. But it was clear her comment flattered him, even if his pride as a descendant of Durin wouldn't allow him to accept it. Glad to have done something at least a little bit right, Hattie closed her journal. As she shut away from the page that held the portrait of her old self, some part of Hattie wondered if there was some symbolism in that, but she elected to ignore it. It so happened, she got an idea.

"Hey, actually, do you mind maybe helping me with something?" Hattie gestured to her ears when Gimli nodded. "I feel a need to accessorize."

 **~o0o~**

A few days later found Hattie and the Fellowship approaching the dreaded departure date. Supplies were being gathered and the boats readied, but the Fellowship still took the time to finish the training of the hobbits. Their progress had exceeded Aragorn's expectations. But it was one thing to be ready for battle, and another to be in it. So for as long as they could, they would continue to get ready. And the same went for Hattie.

"Miss Hattie, remember to keep your body behind your blade," Boromir instructed, demonstrating for her again with his long sword. Hattie quickly adjusted herself.

"Right."

"Now follow through with what I have shown."

"Okay." Hattie gulped.

Boromir began the attack. Bringing his sword over his head in one hand, he swung its full weight down at Hattie to hack her in half. The movement was slow, but not slow enough for Hattie's comfort. As he showed her, Hattie turned to the side, avoiding the swing. This brought her closer to Boromir, but that was the point.

"Good, now attack."

Hattie did. Using the wooden knife he had provided, she 'sliced' it down the underside of his forearm. When Boromir went to lift his sword to try and attack her again, she cut alongside the back of his arm along his tricep. For effect, Boromir dropped his sword, his arm for all purposes useless now. With him disarmed, Hattie pressed the wooden knife to his neck. The whole thing took about three seconds, but Hattie felt jittery with success.

"Like that?" She asked as she tried to regain her breath.

"Yes, excellent work." Boromir nodded as he took a step back from her, "You show good aptitude with a knife, Miss Hattie."

"She still lacks dexterity, but she shows some improvement," Aragorn commented as he came over to them, taking a break from the hobbits as they spared one another.

Hattie stiffened to attention as the Ranger gestured to her with his own sword.

 _Oh, this can't be good._

"Come, now it is my turn to test you."

He didn't wait for Hattie to get into her stance. Aragorn swung his sword down and Hattie barely dodged it. It was a miracle in fact. But when she went to slice his forearm, her luck ended. Bringing the handle of his sword up just as she reached to cut, he knocked it against her wrist. The wooden knife in her hand clattered to the stony ground of the training yard before Hattie knew what happened. Immediately she brought her hand to her chest to nurse it and her pride.

"Your grip is very weak. That will not do. Your finger has not fully recovered." Aragorn told her.

Hattie tried not to show her agitation. When she resumed training with the hobbits, Aragorn moved her on to lessons with the knife rather than continue with the staff. Mostly because it was something she could do one-handed. That, of course, meant she was using her non-dominant hand. But in just a week and a half, her finger had healed up, bone and all, and she wanted to practice with it. While the rate of healing was not strictly a miracle, it was still freaky as it would have taken a normal human twice that to recover from the same kind of injury.

 _Though I'm not really human anymore, am I?_ Hattie mourned silently.

"It's recovered enough," She insisted, "I wanted to get some practice in with it before…you know."

Hattie left her meaning hanging. Although Aragorn had spoken to Lord Celeborn a while ago, he had not talked to her about letting her come with the Fellowship. Lady Galadriel still gave her reluctant approval, so Hattie wasn't worried about him denying her on those grounds. But the fact that Aragorn hadn't given any sign of how he made up his mind - to let her stay here or come with - disturbed her. She kept meaning to speak to him, having so many things she wanted to say to convince him, but the opportunity never came up. And now time was running short.

Aragorn only gave her a curt nod before returning to the hobbits. The gesture left Hattie confused, and not for the better. She tried to move from it by going to pick up the practice knife.

"Then it has been settled then? You are to come with us?" Boromir asked once Aragorn was out of hearing.

"Lady Galadriel thinks it would be okay. But she's leaving the decision to Aragorn." Hattie shrugged.

While she couldn't find the time or the courage to speak to Aragorn, Boromir was a different story. He was surprisingly easy to talk to now, and of the Fellowship she probably spent the most time with him now. They trained some odd four hours together every day, so it was natural that they would talk. Sometimes about absolutely nothing like friends were supposed to. And while she didn't tell Boromir everything - Celeborn forbade her from speaking of the vision of her mother after all - Hattie shared a lot of her worries with him. And for all of his kind words to her, his dedication to helping her grow stronger...the image of his approaching death loomed in her mind. She was still weighing her choices concerning it and was no closer to an answer, her feelings complicated.

 _That's cause there is only one answer. I have to let it happen. I can't mess up anything more, and the same goes for Boromir. God, I am the worst,_ Hattie thought, guilt wilting her confidence further.

"Perhaps I might speak to him."

"No, you don't have to do that." She sighed, switching the knife between her hands, "I guess I was just kind of hoping to prove I could take care of myself. I thought maybe that would help things. Without Wolf here to protect me, I'm...weak."

"Then let us continue with the lesson. Your grip is indeed weak. We shall have to use weights to amend that."

Hattie's shoulders slumped.

"Oh god, please no. My muscles are already screaming."

Boromir chuckled at her pathetic whine, the sound rich and rare. Hattie smiled to hear it, but it didn't improve her mood. If anything it made things worse. She had no right to enjoy his company.

Looking away guiltily towards Aragorn and the hobbits, Hattie noticed that she was being watched. She might have expected it if had been one of her elven escorts or even Aragorn, but seeing Frodo intently stare at her was a bit of a surprise. His blue eyes were bright even from this distance. The hobbits looked away from her and back to sparing with Pippin, but Hattie continued to feel watched even as she set about weight training with Boromir.

It had to be today, she considered. After her lesson was over, Hattie was determined to find the opportunity to talk to Aragorn. She wanted to uncomplicate things. If she couldn't find the opportunity, she would make one. She promised herself to try all she could. To get back home, to get back to her mother, to hold fast to the hope that kept her breathing, she had to.

"I think we shall call an end to the lesson for today. It would not do to overexert you so close to our departure." Boromir announced after another hour.

Hattie, covered in sweat and her hair clinging to her face, waved him off.

"Overexert? Who's overexerted? I've got energy to spare!" She panted.

Boromir shook his head in humor and proceeded to put away the weights and sparring tools. Hattie did the only thing she had the strength for and stumbled over to the fountain. Kneeling down to it, she proceeded to dunk her entire face in. She always got flushed whenever she exercised, looking like a tomato about ready to pass out. The curse of being a pasty pale Irish, Hattie assumed.

When Hattie submerged, she suddenly found she wasn't alone.

"Miss Hattie?"

"Jesus!" She panicked, skittering back away from the spot where a hobbit had suddenly materialized, "Frodo, don't do that. You're as bad as those elves."

Frodo _almost_ cracked a smile at that, but then cleared his throat.

"Miss Hattie, if I might have a word with you?"

Unsure, Hattie frowned. She and Frodo had not talked very much since that moment before she went to meet with Galadriel. Even though Hattie went back to hanging around the hobbits during her off-training hours, he was either not around or not speaking to anyone. His gloominess had taken a permanent watery gleam to his eyes as if he was always just a moment away from breaking down completely. But today he looked especially heart-wrenchingly sad.

"Sure thing. What's on your mind?" Hattie asked, taking a seat on the rim of the fountain and patting the spot next to her. But Frodo shook his head.

"Not here, if you please."

Catching him glancing behind her, Hattie followed Frodo's gaze. He seemed to be concerned with how close Boromir and Aragorn were, the two chatting idly about something. Turning back, she saw Frodo start to make his way out of the training grounds, looking back to signal he wished her to follow. But Hattie hesitated. She had been in the process of working herself up to talk to Aragorn, not Frodo. Sure, it was on her list of things to do. He desperately needed some encouragement, and Hattie hoped to ease his own guilt over Gandalf's death - which she may or may not have made worse with her stupidity. And now here he was wanting to talk to her in secret. Whatever it was, she felt it couldn't be good, but...

Glancing back towards Aragorn one more time, Hattie sighed and stood up. She couldn't say no to Frodo. So she followed him out from the training grounds. Her guard today was Rúmil, who always gave her a bit more slack than the others. He would probably hang back with the other elven guards for a few minutes before tracking her down. That would hopefully be enough for whatever private conversation Frodo was hoping to have with her.

They walked only for a little while, ending up by a mossy clearing edged with ferns and a crumbling statue standing watch. Frodo turned to face her, looking very tired as he brought a hand up to his chest, feeling something under his shirt nervously.

"I suppose you know what I wish to speak to you about, Miss Hattie." He said, but Hattie frowned.

"Um, not really."

 _I'm a seer, not a mindreader. Or am I? Testing, testing, can anyone hear me? Wait, that's not how it works._

"O-oh," Frodo stammered awkwardly, "Then you are unaware of my meeting with the Lady Galadriel last night?"

Hattie's eyes widened. Did he meet with Galadriel? Already? That meant the Fellowship was going to leave in as little as two days. She didn't think it would be this soon. But she needed to focus. Wracking her brain, she tried to remember what Frodo was supposed to have seen. The doubt and lingering faith of the Fellowship...the Scouring of the Shire...the Eye...

"I…I know about it. But I don't know why you want to speak to me." She finally answered. As far as she knew, Frodo didn't trust her any more than Aragorn did. Or, at least he hadn't forgiven her for what she had done. But that was hardly a new feeling for her.

"I would have your advice, of course."

"I'm not someone you should really be talking to." She insisted. Since her little chat with Boromir at the training grounds, Hattie had been out of advice-giving practice. Sure, she was supposed to be a seer, but there had to be a time and a place for all that stuff. She hadn't really expected to be dolling out before the Fellowship left Lothlorien. She didn't even have her journal with her! She wasn't even sure if she wrote anything to cover the possibility of Frodo asking her for advice about what he had seen in the mirror. He was supposed to be retreating into himself to numb his misery! She was completely unprepared!

"Gandalf said you were to guide us, provide counsel where you could. And I have a need of your counsel. You know many things, more things than even Lady Galadriel could ever know. She told me as much last night how you vexed her so with your knowledge."

"I vex _her_?" Hattie scoffed, but Frodo continued on.

"I have been shown a great many things, many of them terrible. And they shall come to pass if I fail."

His expression...it was so heartbroken. And with his next words, Hattie was certain something did shatter.

"I…I do not wish to fail."

"You won't." Hattie blurted, only to bite down hard on her lip. Frodo doubted her though as he gave her a sad smile.

"Is that a prediction or an encouragement?"

Hattie didn't answer that. She couldn't. Could she? No. Of course she couldn't. Such a large spoiler had to have consequences. But then what should she tell him?

"You are close to Boromir, yes? You are his friend?" Frodo asked after a time, moving the conversation forward. Hattie remained just as tongue-tied though.

"I…!"

She couldn't say it. That word, 'friend', it felt dirty to say it out loud. Like a curse had been embedded in the syllables; the curse of being a deadman's friend. So she nodded instead.

"Do you trust him?"

Hattie started to see where this conversation was going. Galadriel had told Frodo point-blank that Boromir would try to take the Ring from him. Maybe Frodo just wanted a second opinion. Hattie couldn't fault him for that.

"Yes, I do," Hattie answered honestly, "But the Lady Galadriel isn't wrong either."

Frodo nodded shakily, then began to slowly pace the outer edge of the clearing.

"The Fellowship…I fear it will break. Perhaps it had the moment Gandalf was taken from us." His eyes, bright and terribly unhappy, met Hattie's, "I am a Ringbearer, Miss Hattie. And to bear a ring of power is to be alone. This task was appointed to me, and if I do not find a way…no one will. I know what I must do, it's just…I am afraid to do it. I'm afraid to be alone. But I must."

He continued to fiddle with the Ring under his shirt, looking so lost and alone. Such a gentle broken hobbit with such a cruel burden. Every word he spoke brought the air in tightly around Hattie in nervous anticipation. She dreaded the moment he would finally get to his question. She hoped the ground would find a way to swallow her up beforehand.

"Miss Hattie, I wish to know when I must depart from the Fellowship."

"W-what?" Hattie stuttered, hoping against hope that she had misheard him. But Frodo did not repeat himself. She shook her head, a panicked buzzing setting itself in her mind.

"I can't…I…why would you ask me? Why not Galadriel? Don't you, I don't know, trust her?"

"I can trust you." At her scoff, Frodo explained, "You may be surprised, but I do. You are from another world, yes? So the Ring does not call to you, and you are impartial to its fate."

 _That's...a good answer_ , Hattie grumbled to herself.

She weighed her choices.

Lying was out. She knew by now it was better to say nothing than to lie. As for saying nothing...no, she couldn't do that either. He came to her to ask for advice, and as he pointed out, Gandalf had wanted her to provide counsel when she was asked for it. And he wasn't just asking; the look in his eyes was _begging_. So then maybe she could tell him? He had already decided to leave the Fellowship, possibly the moment he talked with Galadriel at her mirror. All he wanted from Hattie was a better window for the opportunity, probably to ensure someone like Aragorn didn't follow him. She could give him that, couldn't she? Gandalf wanted her to help, and if she could prove her usefulness to Frodo, he would help convince Aragorn to let her come with? It seemed so harmless, and if it brought Frodo some peace of mind, it would be a good thing. Then why was there a small voice inside Hattie's mind that said it was wrong...?

"After the Fellowship departs from Lothlorien…" Hattie struggled to find the right words, knowing the hobbit hung on every one of them, "there will be a choice to be made as to where the Fellowship will go next. Without Gandalf, the original plan is out the window. Aragorn's been delaying the choice for a while, but soon enough you as the Ringbearer you will be in charge of deciding between turning to the west with Boromir, turning to the east to Mount Doom, or to break the Fellowship and go your separate ways."

"And that will be the time? How shall I know the moment? What marker might I look for to know it is coming?" Frodo asked, pacing closer.

Hattie opened her mouth, but no sound came out. All she had to say was Amon Hen, or even just the date. She knew the date, so why shouldn't he since he wanted to know so badly? But his questions now sounded more desperate. Less decisive. He was planning on leaving the Fellowship, wasn't he? So why did he sound so doubtful? Why was he looking at Hattie like she had all the answers? Alarm bells started to go off.

 _He doesn't want my advice, does he? He wants me to make the choice for him._

"I…I don't know," Hattie muttered flatly, looking away.

"What?" Frodo asked, but Hattie didn't repeat herself. Frodo stopped his pacing to fully face her. "Miss Hattie, tell me."

"Frodo, I know you're scared, but I can't tell you what to do. It feels wrong."

More than wrong. From the book, Hattie knew that until the moment Boromir attacked Frodo, he was uncertain about what to do next. Boromir's temptation of the Ring helped him make the choice. But now he was asking Hattie to do that. There was a reason why that choice was still left for him and him alone to make. Aragorn said as much to him before he let Frodo go. He was the Ringbearer, and there was no one else who could do it but him.

"Scared? Scared is a child who has just woken from a nasty dream. This…" Frodo hissed as he clutched the Ring in his fist, shaking it, "…is beyond such innocent things."

Hattie shook her head. She couldn't do this. The temptation of her knowledge was too much for Frodo to resist taking advantage of. All he wanted was the relief of having the burden of choice taken away for just a moment. After all, if what she knew was the truth, then what was the harm? If it was what he would have chosen with or without her here in Middle-earth, what difference did it make in the end? But it felt so _wrong_. Oh, god, she could use one of Gandalf's wise sayings right about now.

In the sweep of her panic, Hattie started to say the first thing that came to her mind. Which was never a bright idea, but she had so few of those these days anyway.

"The Fellowship might be broken, but that doesn't mean it isn't any good! Boromir has flaws, but I wouldn't be friends with him if he was a bad person at heart. And do you think Samwise Gamgee is kind of hobbit to go back on his promise? He promised to never leave you. And Gandalf said he would help you bear this burden as long as it was yours to bear, didn't he? Do you think a little thing like death is going to stop him? Please. And Aragorn told you straight to your face that if he could protect you by his life or death, he would! And Merry and Pippin, they-"

"None of them know this burden! It is upon myself who the world hangs on by a thread!" Frodo cried, cutting her off, "Tell me, Miss Hattie! Please!"

Hattie shook her head and tried to find the words that came so easily before, but someone else spoke up for her instead.

"Frodo, that is enough."

Both the hobbit and Hattie froze as they looked in the direction of the voice. Striding up the path was Aragorn. Neither of them had even heard him approach, and to see him there so suddenly was more than a little shocking.

It was Frodo who spoke first, eyes wide and startled, "What have you heard?"

"Very little, but enough to know that you are pressing Miss Hattie to answer a question she does not wish to." Aragorn answered, looking to the hands clenched at Hattie's side, "Nor will she, it would seem."

Frodo looked back to Hattie, half-angry, half-pleading. But Hattie continued to study the forest floor and shook her head. Eventually, she heard the hobbit sigh - a sound that could, and did, break her heart.

"Very well, Miss Hattie. Thank you for your time." Frodo said softly, taking his leave. Aragorn did not stop him as he passed, though his eyes followed after the hobbit in concern.

 _God, why am I the worst?_ Hattie sniffed, surprised to find her eyes were stinging with frustrated tears, _Everything I do feel so lukewarm. I'm trying my best but I keep fucking up!_

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to help. I didn't mean to upset him." She said to Aragorn when she felt it safe enough to speak without her voice breaking. Aragorn gently shook his head as he walked over to her.

"No, you did well. If Frodo asked too much of you, it was right of you to not answer fully."

"Wait, now I'm confused." Hattie groaned, rubbing her face, "Don't you want me to tell you what I know when you guys ask? That's what Gandalf said I should do."

"Gandalf also said that you are not blessed with _perfect_ vision and the best we could expect from you was no more than the occasional direction." He nodded to her again, this time with a smile of appreciation, "You did your part, I am sure."

"Oh…okay," Hattie mumbled.

Everything still felt wrong though. She should have said something more to Frodo. Something better. Anything except what she had said. She hoped Aragorn really hadn't heard much, as she didn't want to think she was trying to go behind his back. She actually had no idea what she was trying to do, not even now. She was emotionally charged and found it hard to breathe. But Aragorn was here, and Hattie knew the moment to speak to him was now or never.

"Hey, um, I was hoping I could talk to you."

"And I with you. It is why I followed after, hoping I would find a moment to speak to you. Lord Celeborn has spoken to me of your desire to follow the Fellowship when we take leave of Lothlorien."

Hattie nodded.

"I find it a curious thing. After all, your accord with Gandalf ended when we brought you to Lothlorien. Why would you give up the safety of this place to travel with us? This is not your quest." Aragorn said, giving her a studious stare that spoke of his doubt.

Hattie swallowed dryly. This was it. This was her chance. She needed to do this right - _please_ , let her do this right - and then her journey home would begin for real. She had planned this for days, wondering what was the best thing to say. What she decided on probably wasn't _the_ best, but it couldn't be the worst, that was for sure.

 _Okay. Here it goes. Please don't backfire._

"I had a vision."

"And this is news?" Aragorn almost laughed, "You are a seer after all."

Hattie shook her head, pressing on.

"No. An actual vision. I used Galadriel's mirror and looked into the future, and I saw myself going home."

That dried up Aragorn's humor. His jaw actually clenched as an eerie calm came over the Ranger. The words righteous fury came to mind as he stepped closer to Hattie, whispering harshly.

"You did wha…Miss O'Connor, do you realize what-"

"I know, I know, it was stupid," She cut him off, needing to say the rest before she lost her nerve, "But I'd do it again if I needed to. I go home. I see my mother. Do you understand what that means? It means things are going to go the way they are supposed to. It's meant to be. I'm supposed to go with you guys. I'm going to help things go _right_. I won't get captured, I won't get in the way, and you guys will be right on track."

The truth was Hattie's plan. That's what she was supposed to do as a seer, wasn't she? Lord Celeborn might feel that it was best if Hattie kept this vision to herself, but she didn't. It was her golden ticket out of here! It was proof that things would be alright, no matter what came her way. That kind of insurance was enough for her to risk everything and go with the Fellowship, so maybe it would be enough for Aragorn too. And it would be better this way. If she told them where she was coming from, her intentions, then they wouldn't angry at her should things blow up in her face. No secrets meant no betrayal in their eyes if she lied and said something about wanting to come along for the good of Middle-earth or some bullshit. She was doing this for selfish reasons - _good_ reasons - but selfish nonetheless. And it felt like a weight eased itself off of Hattie's shoulders to say it.

Aragorn considered what she spoke for a while. His silence made Hattie worry that maybe he didn't quite appreciate the magnitude of implication her vision had. Hadn't Lord Celeborn told him that only Saruman could send Hattie back? He had to know that meant the White Wizard was going to be defeated. He had to know what it meant for her! She would tell him, and maybe she would tell him about Gandalf's return if he was still worried. He was of the Three Hunters, after all, he was going to find out sooner or later. And maybe it would make things go even more smoothly for her! Maybe they wouldn't hate her after Boromir died!

 _God, no, stop it!_ Hattie gritted to herself, _I'm not there yet, I have time to deal with it later. All I need right now is Aragorn on my side._

"Miss O'Connor, even as a seer, I am afraid you put too much faith in your visions," Aragorn said before Hattie had the chance to speak.

"But they all come true. Every detail so far has at least." Hattie insisted.

"Every detail?"

At his question, a few memories flashed through Hattie's mind. Her picking up the Ring on Caradhas...her throwing the corpse down the well in Moria...Wolf...she shook them away. Seeing her deny the evidence that was right in front of her, Aragorn decided to ask her a question.

"Despite your faith, you did not tell Frodo what he wished to know. Why?"

Again, Hattie opened her mouth to speak only for nothing to come out. Why was he bringing that up? That was entirely different. Frodo wanted her to tell him what to do. But rather than argue against it, Hattie answered with "It had felt…wrong."

"And for good reason. Knowing the 'truth' as you do will only bring us an answer. But that can be worse than uncertainty. With the answer in mind, one may doubt every move one makes. One may fear to go against the tide, thinking the place it flows to is where one is meant to be. But no, not always the case. There is something to be said for forging your own path ahead, making decisions for yourself, in the moment, rather than for an outcome. In no way can one be true to themselves otherwise. Acting on one's own will is difficult when they are being dictated to."

His philosophical lecture took Hattie by surprise. That had to be the most he had ever said to her in one go. She knew Aragorn was one of the many who waxed poetic in the books, but it was a bit of a shock to be suddenly treated to it. As such, she didn't really understand what he was trying to get at, but it sounded important.

"I...I don't get it." She muttered helplessly, needing another minute to process. Aragorn instead treated her to another wise adage.

"Destinies can slip from your hand if you grasp them too tightly. There are yet many possibilities that await us than the ones you have in mind, I am sure."

 _Oh god, now he sounds like Gandalf. No wonder the two of them get along so well._

Hattie would try and process all this later. Right now she only had one thing she wanted to know, and everything was hanging on the answer she got. Her hope, her chance, her life, everything.

"Okay. But will you let me come with?" She asked.

Again, Aragorn took his time to consider. Hattie wrapped her arms around her to try and hold herself steady. Everything seemed to shrink in around her, and she felt about ready to blackout when Aragorn finally spoke.

"If Lady Galadriel continues to deem it safe for you to leave the Lorien, then I shall not deny you. The rest of the company seems eager for your companionship. And your advice, when asked for, would be a comfort. Provided you are still aware that our mission is to protect Frodo, and cannot guarantee your protection."

A giddy rush of air met Hattie's lungs as she began to breathe again. She started to shake with excitement, nerves, and a disturbing amount of foreboding. But she didn't care. She was going to go with the Fellowship. Phase one of her plan was complete. For better or worse she was one step closer to getting home.

 _For worse?_ Hattie shook her head, wondering where that thought had come from, _no never for worse._

"As for Lord Celeborn," Aragorn continued, shocking Hattie back into the moment at hand, "I am afraid you may have to answer to him yet again. After all, did he not tell you to refrain from speaking of your vision?"

Now that was a shock. How did he even know that? Hattie only just told him about it. Something then clicked into place, and Hattie's jaw fell open.

"He told you already?"

 _After the hour-long speech I had to endure from him about the importance of keeping secrets, Lord Celeborn went and told Aragorn just like that? What was the point of telling me to keep it to myself then?!_

"Aye, though I knew not that you used the mirror to see it. But I am glad you disobeyed his orders to tell me as well. Honesty becomes you." Aragorn smiled, unable to help but tease the absolutely floored Hattie. She didn't share in his humor though.

"You were _testing_ me?" She pouted.

She hated tests. Was it all a set up because Celeborn expected her to be too selfish and try to lie about her intentions to the Fellowship? Is that why he told her not to speak of her vision, hoping he would catch her in a lie and object to her leaving Lothlorien? Was it the same for Aragorn then? Did he do test her to see if he could trust her after her mess up in Moria? She could see where they might think it a good thing to test her, but it felt wrong that she had to prove so much to people. Their expectations of her were exhausting. Speak the truth but not too much, keep a secret but don't, know every detail about this world and their lives but don't freak them out.

"I shall tell the others you are to come. I am sure they will be delighted with the news. We have already begun to make preparations for the journey, I suggest you do the same." Aragorn instructed, again smiling, "Mayhap I should take time to teach you to paddle."

Hattie tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a sigh. It had been a long day for her, and she was emotionally and physically exhausted. Still, she felt happier than she had in a long time. Finally, _finally,_ something had gone right for her. Now if only it could continue that way...

 **~o0o~**

Hattie woke up thrashing. Fear coursed in her like a thick flowing poison, closing her throat and suffocating her so that when she tried to scream she only managed to make a choked sound. Her body felt so unbearably hot like a fever, coated in thin sweat, though the majority of it was concentrated in her hands. It almost felt like anything she touched at that moment would melt.

Kicking all of the blankets off of her, Hattie squirmed up to the headboard, trying to ground herself. Swallowing huge gulps of air, she was finally able to mutter a "Fucking hell!"

The nightmare was getting worse. Worse because tonight it was different. The voice didn't just call her over, but spoke to her. It asked her things she couldn't remember now, but she knew they had been horrible. The voice was so different from Saruman's when she had heard him in the mirror's vision that Hattie could no longer be sure it was Saruman. But maybe it was an effect of the sleeping drought she took.

 _Some good it did me,_ Hattie scoffed, _Ólerydwen swore the dose she gave me would be enough to knock out a mumakil! Liar!_

It took her a few moments longer before Hattie could force herself to relax. She let her shoulders shag, forcibly uncurling her toes. She pushed away the strands of hair that stuck to her sweaty forehead, her hands trembling. All of her was actually, and she noticed her loose nightgown now clung wetly to her skin.

Needing more comfort, Hattie's hand traveled to the locket around her neck. Feeling it and the dog whistle that hung beside it, she began to breathe easier. Wolf was always there for her whenever she had a panic attack, and even now the idea of him brought comfort. She was beginning to suspect she had been a nervous child and her grandparents got her a dog to help her cope with things. But then the ache of Wolf's absence reached through, and Hattie knew she would never get back to sleep.

"Screw it," Hattie grumbled, getting out of bed. Pulling off the embroidered quilt on top, she wrapped it around herself till she felt like a caterpillar. Careful not to let it get entangled with her feet, she shuffled to the door.

The fresh air of the forest cooled Hattie's heated skin, soothing her some. She needed a walk, badly. It would distract her and hopefully tire her out so she could try and get more sleep. Because the day after tomorrow the Fellowship would leave Lothlorien, and Hattie needed as much beauty rest as she could get.

 _Beauty rest? Ha! More like wake up and try not to look like you've been beaten by the ugly stick!_ Hattie snickered in her mind as she carefully, _very_ carefully went down the steps of her little treehouse. At the base of the stairs was the usual posted guard, and tonight it was Aledor.

"Hey." She waved as she came down. When she tried to pass him though, Aledor moved to block Hattie's path.

"I'm just going for a short walk." She explained, hoping he would understand.

 _"Lle lertala lestasí arcundo."_ (You cannot leave here without an escort.)

"I know, I know," She sighed, guessing what he was saying, "Can you be my escort for just a few minutes then? Just a lap or two around the garden, I swear."

Hattie would have preferred to be alone, but she figured it would just be better if she didn't argue with Aledor. But he wasn't having it.

 _"Canwaen naa an tirith lle, alan winimohav."_ (My orders are to guard you, not to babysit.) He told her condescendingly.

"Come on," Hattie whined, "I just want a little fresh air. You're not still mad about that whole Mirror thing, are you?"

Aledor only narrowed his eyes. He was most definitely still mad. As he had been the one on duty that night, her nearly breaking the sacred object of the Lady was probably something he got chewed out for. Hattie tried an innocent smile next.

"What if I say pretty please?"

That seemed to be the end of Aledor's patience as he grabbed Hattie's arm and began to force her back up the stairs. Hattie tried to use her full weight to pull against him, but it barely slowed him down.

"H-hey! Not so rough Aledor!"

 _"Tardad, Aledor!"_ (Stand down, Aledor!) A voice behind them commanded. She craned her neck to see who it was.

Legolas.

 _Caun Legolas,"_ (Prince Legolas.) Aledor muttered, briefly bowing his head. He seemed ready to say more but Legolas's eyes, bright like the hottest part of a flame, suddenly darkened in warning. Instantly Aledor dropped Hattie's arm as if it had burned him. Without another word he went back to his original position at the base of the stairs and stood statue-still.

More than a little confused and flustered at this sudden turn of events, Hattie flinched when Legolas turned to her.

"Are you alright, _pîn er_?" (Little one) He asked in concern. He was barefoot and wearing what appeared to be a linen shirt and grey trousers. The casual outfit was a first for the elf and a further shock to Hattie.

 _Is this the elvish equivalent of a t-shirt and jeans? I like it._

"Y-yeah. I just wanted to go for a bit of a walk, but Aledor wasn't having it."

At her explanation, Legolas gave the guard another dark look. If Hattie had elf ears, she would have heard Aledor swallow nervously. Instead, she heard the woodland prince make an amused scoff.

"Then allow me to be your escort this night." He then smiled as he turned back to her, his expression softening.

"Really?"

Wordlessly he gestured to the path that led away from her treehouse in further invitation, but Hattie hesitated. She hadn't seen much of him recently, and even though they had gotten along towards the end of the hunt, Hattie could not for the life of her remember how their first decent conversation ended. She remembered everything up until the point she mentioned Thranduil for whatever reason and then the next thing she knew she woke up with one of the worst hangover headaches she ever had in her life. Or her life as far as she could remember it. But if Legolas was up for a bit of a saunter, then who was she to say no?

 _Kind of curious him being out in this part of Lothlorien though. There's nothing really interesting out this far._

Coming up to him, she let Legolas lead them down the path. They walked side by side, and only too late Hattie realized how much of an absolute mess she looked like. Her face all sweaty and her hair stood up in clumps. As subtly as she could, she tried to comb through them with her fingers.

"What did you say to Aledor? He looked liked he'd seen a Nazgul."

"I simply ordered him to stand down. As a prince of the woodland realm, I can be quite persuasive." Legolas answered with a tone of authority as if it was nothing for him to strike fear into the heart of an elite guard.

"Oh. That's right, you are a prince."

Legolas looked down - almost needing to bend his neck awkwardly to accommodate for Hattie's height of four feet ten inches, except nothing Legolas ever did could be considered awkward, _how dare you_ \- at her in surprise.

"You have forgotten such a fact?"

"N-no. It's just…I don't know. Maybe?" Hattie stammered, "You're Legolas, you know?"

"I do know. That is my name after all." He teased, causing Hattie to internally groan. If only there was some elvish wine nearby, that would make it easier for her to talk to him. As it was, Legolas didn't seem to mind her slow working brain and continued to chat.

"Why are you up so late, if I may ask?"

"I've been having nightmares. Well, the same nightmare actually. But it's gotten worse." She explained, wrapping the quilt around her tighter, "I just wanted some fresh air to cool my head."

Legolas looked her over. With a frown, he noted the dark circles under her eyes and the paleness of her lips. After a moment he nodded.

"Then let us not speak of it anymore. You are in need of a distraction. We must think of one. Shall I sing for you perhaps?"

Hattie immediately shook her head. She didn't think she was emotionally stable enough to handle being serenaded by Legolas Greenleaf while she was in an embarrassingly thin nightgown. She might faint on the spot. Why was he even offering that option? Instead, she thought of something else.

"Actually, I have a question if you don't mind. But it might be a bit personal, so just tell me if I'm being rude, okay?"

"You have me intrigued. Ask away." Legolas permitted, sounding amused.

"Ólerydwen said that braids act as symbols of status and occupation for elves. But I noticed that some elves like Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel don't have any. I thought maybe it had something to do with them being such high-status elves, but you have a ton of them. I thought maybe it was a Mirkwood thing but I know your father doesn't wear any either as far as I know. So why do you have so many? And what do your braids mean? Do elvish braids act like an ID or something? Has there ever been a case of elvish identity theft?"

At her excitedly rapid-fire questions, Legolas looked briefly intimidated. But soon enough he was giving Hattie a particular smirk that had her knees turning into jelly.

"You notice the most curious things. Tell me, is this eye for detail a requirement of an archeologist or is your curiosity naturally so meticulous?"

"Both," Hattie said as her face flushed warmly, "And you're avoiding the question."

Legolas hummed with thought for a while as they walked. He seemed to be considering the answer carefully. Hattie hoped she hadn't freaked him out with her overzealous knowledge, but soon enough he spoke.

"The Lord and Lady do not have braids, that is true. They simply do not feel the need for them, for who among the elves would not know of their house and great deeds? Perhaps they do at least have one braid to symbolize their love and unity to each other. And another braid to symbolize elven sovereignty like so here."

He then lifted some of his hair behind his right ear, and there another thin braid was revealed. Hattie nearly squealed when she saw it.

"You have a secret fourth braid?!"

 _A fourth braid? A fourth braid?! I am the luckiest girl in all the world, I swear._

To his credit, Legolas wasn't taken aback by her excitement. He seemed to find it entertaining.

"Yes, it speaks of my status as not only a prince but a high elf of Sindar decent."

"What about the others?"

"This one here shows that my home is Mirkwood." Legolas said as he pointed to one at the side of his temple that brushed over his ear before moving on to the next, "And this one tells that I am a Master Bowman."

"And that big one?" Hattie pointed to the large fishtail styled one that braided the majority of his hair back.

"That one is the most important." Legolas smirked again, "It keeps my hair out of my eyes."

Hattie blinked. Then blinked again.

"W-what?"

"I do not like my view to be obstructed, it is a nuisance. Though I assure you I can aim just as well fully blind if need be." He explained, amused by her reaction. It seemed he was telling the truth though, and Hattie couldn't help but snort in laughter. She tried to stifle the embarrassing sound with her blanket, but it was too late. At least Legolas allowed her some dignity by pretending it didn't happen.

"To answer your question as to why I have so many while the Lord and Lady and even my father do not…"

He trailed off. A clouded, thoughtful expression came over him. He seemed reluctant to find the words he was looking for, as if averse to acknowledging them. The usual air of confident superiority he wore frayed a little. When he finally spoke, it wasn't what Hattie had expected to hear.

"I am still young. For an elf, that is. There is perhaps only a score and a half younger than I in all of Middle-earth."

"But…you're almost three thousand years old. How can you be _young_?" Hattie asked incredulously.

"My age is nothing in comparison to those who were here when Middle-earth was dark save for the light of the stars, before the Great Journey westwards towards Aman. Nay, I grew up on the stories of the balrogs, the slaying of the ancient High Kings of the Eldar, and the tearing of Middle-earth all those thousands and thousands of years ago. They were but legends to me in old crumbling books, ones that kept me up at night with the terrible thoughts of monsters under the bed and the shadows in the forest."

The thinly veiled vulnerability in his voice tore at Hattie's heart. Legolas, Legolas _Greenleaf_ , once had nightmares? That shouldn't even be possible.

"My father had seen some of the worst that Arda had to offer, but he always assured me those times were no more than distant nightmares. Stories relegated to dust and ancient memory. Except now they have returned. And now it is my time to face them." He boldly declared as if he was speaking to the stars rather than a sweaty girl wrapped in a quilt. Looking back down to Hattie, he seemed to have forgotten himself for a moment, and promptly fixed a nonchalant grin in place.

"This mission is not over, and I believe many wonders and horrors await me yet. I have already been shown the falling of a star, the death of a Maia, the Black Pit, and the marvels of Lothlorien. But I would prove myself against them. And perhaps one day, when I look back at all I have seen and done, I will take my braids down proudly as the Lord and Lady have."

Hattie's mind rushed to process all she had heard, unable to believe most of it. From the sounds of it, Legolas wore his braids because he felt he had yet to prove himself. That his identity had to be recognized through a symbol rather than by deeds and renown. Nearly three thousand years old and he called himself _young_. It was something she never would have expected from the impassive elf who could intimidate others with a simple stare. Hell, for most of the time she found him too intense to look at, too perfect and otherworldy to ever begin to feel at ease around. She needed to be drunk for them to have their first actual conversation, and she couldn't even remember some of it! The fact that he felt any amount of uncertainty should have disturbed her. After all, if he was apprehensive about the journey ahead, then what hope was there for her? Instead, she found it...oddly comforting.

"Is that why you came on this mission? Quest? Thing?"

He smiled at her, lightening both their moods.

"I often wonder that myself, yes, though I had come to represent the race of elves in the fate of the Ring and to support _Estel_."

Hattie wanted to tell him how she felt hearing him share all this, but she couldn't find the words for it. Was it weird for her to be excited to see this side of him? She almost felt giddy. At the same time, she wondered how he ever could doubt for a _second_ his infuriatingly perfect existence.

"I'm sorry, this is all so weird. You're Legolas. You of all people, sorry, all elves, have nothing to prove. Trust me."

Legolas's masking grin shifted back into a smirk, "Your opinion speaks otherwise. I am only your third favorite elf."

"You're not going to let that go, are you?"

He shook his head, causing Hattie to snort again. Eyeing his braids, she got an idea.

"Well, here's something you can do to improve your ranking. You can teach me how to do a braid or two." Hattie reached up to the tangles in her hair, lifting them over her ears, "See, no matter what I do, I wake up with bed head, and Ólerydwen isn't the gentlest when it comes to-"

 _"Aie!"_

At Legolas's sudden cry of alarm, Hattie thought death was imminent and shrieked too. She expected something terrible was looming behind her, but instead Legolas pointed to her exposed ears.

"What?! What is it?" She frantically patted her head, expecting some other small horror entangled there, but instead she felt the cool touch of metal. She took a moment to breathe, "Oh, god, don't do that! I thought a spider was on me."

"What in Eru's name happened? What mutilation is this?" Legolas asked, absolutely horrified as he reached a hand out to her. He cupped the side of her face in concern, turning her head to inspect the 'damage' better. Hattie had to resist rolling her eyes.

 _Elves are so dramatic._

"Relax, they're just ear cuffs, not actual piercings. There were some old chainmail links at the forge just lying around that nobody wanted, so Gimli helped me put them on. They're pure silver! Look how shiny they are!" She stated proudly, moving more of her hair out of the way to show him. There were five on one ear and three on the other, a near-perfect match for the piercings she once had. Gimli made certain they fit perfectly to her without pinching, for which Hattie paid him generously for with some broken off chunks of her chocolate bar when he handed them over yesterday.

"I had piercings that looked like this before, but I figured it would be better to not risk infection on this trip. So ear cuffs it was."

"But why?" Legolas frowned, looking less disturbed and more fascinated, and this time Hattie didn't suppress her eye roll.

"Humans do it all the time where I'm from. It's mostly for fashion and a way to rebel against one's parents, but it once had status and ritualistic meaning in some of our cultures."

"But... _why?_ " He stressed.

Hattie was about to answer, but her slight panic at his alarm had calmed enough to make her suddenly aware of how close they were. That, and his fingers were now somewhat tangled in her hair, the heat of his palm warming her cheek. Legolas noticed too and took a step back from her, taking his hand away. He flashed an apologetic, and somewhat embarrassed, smile, but Hattie missed it.

 _Oh my god, he touched my face. He touched my sweaty and clammy face. Someone, please kill me._

"B-because I like them. They're shiny. Humans like shiny things." Hattie tried to laugh, but it sounded too nervous when she added, "And maybe, I'm trying to prove something too."

She didn't elaborate further, not certain herself what she meant. But before the mood shifted too much, Legolas scoffed.

"You look like a dwarf. That's what it proves."

Hattie laughed, genuinely this time.

"You know, I always wondered what I would look like with a beard. You think I could pull it off?" She asked, stroking her chin.

Legolas started walking away from her, shaking his head in disappointment. She could see him keeping back a smile though. Jogging after him, she proceeded to engage him on the much-speculated topic of how elf eyes were able to defy the laws of physics.

 **~:o:0:o:~**

So, I want to quickly address something if I may. A reviewer wondered why Hattie just couldn't have told the Three Hunters about Gandalf's return, because wouldn't that be better? It would certainly make things easier for Hattie to have some people know that helpful fact. And that's a good point! Well, coincidentally, that is what I planned to have at least partially addressed in this chapter and in upcoming ones. See, Hattie now thinks because of her vision, things will go the way she wants if she keeps the story on track, while simultaneously preparing for anything that might throw a wrench into those works so she can fix it. Little does she know, she is the wrench, trying to control too much. Although it seems that a lot of expectation has been put upon her by coming to Middle-earth that she should fix things, which isn't really fair. But like Aragorn said it can make things worse when you think you know what the outcome is going to be because then you won't be acting for yourself but instead for that outcome. Sort of like, it's not the destination, it's the journey type deal - so if Hattie told him about Gandalf returning, would Aragorn still let Frodo go? Why not just skip Amon Hen while they're at it and go straight to Fangorn to meet him? Why don't we just get the eagles already? Etc. There has to be a line somewhere. But I will say the harder Hattie tries to get herself home by trying to control the outcomes, the farther away that chance is going to slip. Sort of like, "got what you wanted but lost what you had", which she knew instinctively when she talked with Frodo, and that's why it felt wrong to tell him what he wanted. Vice versa, the moment Hattie embraces being a part of this world, acting as someone with emotional ties and friends here she wants to protect, then and only then will she get what she truly needs (but maybe not what she wanted).

That's my opinion anyway, and what I wanted to show in this story. All in all, at the end of the day, this is a fanfiction that I enjoy writing in between my job and grad school. Have mercy if there are plot holes you notice. I don't even have a beta reader. I had to make up the elvish word for 'babysit'. I'm trying my best here :P

Oh, one more quick note (lies). There's not much actually written about whether elves have braids or not/if they have any meaning, as it was done for aesthetic for the movies, I think. But I wanted to incorporate them into elf culture, so I took inspiration from some blogs and the fanfiction _Jessica Kendrick in: Middle-earth Mission._ If you haven't read that one, I highly recommend it. Also, about Legolas's age, I am going off the official movie guide's proclamation that he is 2931 years old. From the books themselves, there is evidence that supports placing his birth after Isildur took the Ring. Consult his character page on _The One Wiki to Rule Them All_ for more evidence if you wish. In any case, I like the idea of an actually vulnerable Legolas admitting that he is young from an immortal standpoint. It gives him this little thing I like to call depth (I would actually say humanity, but I think he would take personal offense to that).

But enough of that. We've spent too long in Lothlorien. Time get this story moving again! Please join Hattie in the next chapter as the Fellowship prepares to finally leave and continue on with their journey, wherever it might lead. Hattie finds herself eager to get going if dreading certain events. But on the morning of their departure, Hattie… _oversleeps?!_


End file.
